


1344 Hours

by hyuckios



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Blood, Falling In Love, Happy Ending, In Time - Freeform, Kissing, M/M, Minor Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Vampires, just markhyuck in love, lots of mentions of blood, summertime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:47:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 30,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyuckios/pseuds/hyuckios
Summary: "I can be your," Mark sucks in a breath and pulls away from the hug, looking Donghyuck up and down. "Touch companion? Cuddle buddy? Whatever you wanna call it, when you are in need, when you're thirsty and when your cravings leave you needing a heart to press up against — but only if you promise to hang out with me and give me an awesome last few weeks of my life."Donghyuck feels his heart cracking in his chest.The thought of Mark dying in front of him makes him want to be sick, really.He's nauseous, his head is spinning, and it's not just from the fact that the hug left him a little bit flustered. It's because he knows that he is going to get attached to Mark and his smile, Mark and his eyebrows, Minhyung and his damn heart.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 64
Kudos: 777





	1344 Hours

**Author's Note:**

> hello!!! happy birthday from me to you!!!
> 
> this is kind of a crazy fic i have been working on... a cross between a vampire and a boy who depends on the time on his wrist... the time that happened to stop going up after 1344 hours. if u have seen the movie in time, it is kind of like that type of situation, and for mark,,, he can no longer buy anymore time. so he has 8 weeks left to live.
> 
> it talks about it throughout, but since it doesn't say it in the summary... i just decided to say that really quickly. 
> 
> anyway.... sorry for any errors.... this is long!!! and i'll probably go through and edit within the next few days so <3 haaaaaaa
> 
> love you!!!!

Fingers gripping harshly onto the edge of the blood bag, tongue dipping into the hard plastic to get every last drop, Donghyuck rolls his eyes to the back of his head, his fingernails ripping the bag at the last minute as he hands it off to Jaemin who sits at the opposite end of the couch with an awful smug look on his face. Donghyuck wants to wipe it off of his face, he wants to growl at him until Jaemin learns some manners, until he learns how to not watch a goddamn vampire feeding from a chilled bag in the middle of his living room. But, Jaemin is Donghyuck's best friend, and Jaemin doesn't ever fucking do what he's told, especially if it's Donghyuck telling him what to do. 

"Dispose of it," Donghyuck's eyes are dark, his teeth throbbing as he uses Jaemin's blanket to wipe his mouth, clearing any residue around the edges of his lips. 

Jaemin knocks him on top of his head with the bag, droplets landing onto the hardwood floors of their apartment. 

"You did this to yourself," Donghyuck gestures to the floor, rolling his eyes at the mess he's caused. 

Jaemin is angry. He's annoyed, frustrated with Donghyuck for being such a pain in the ass. It's only four in the afternoon, and Donghyuck is so hungry, pushing him to act out of spite, and making them both tired.

"You're the one who started wiping your mouth on my blanket!" Jaemin returns from the trash, holding his blanket taut as he tries to look for any traces of blood, pulling on Donghyuck's hair as he looks at his mouth. "You're so frustrating when you're thirsty, my fucking god, couldn't you just have gone over to Renjun's, or something?" 

Donghyuck twists Jaemin's wrist as he watches the boy come back around, plopping onto the couch, his eyes angry and annoyed — which isn't unusual — Donghyuck annoys Jaemin like a cat annoys a dog. 

"You want me to go drink at your ex boyfriend's house?" Donghyuck laughs, leaning back as he feels his muscles beginning to relax, a high starting to spread across his skin. 

Everything starts to hit. 

It begins behind his eyes, a sort of blur before the muscles in his neck ease up, coming to full relaxation as he looks at Jaemin, his mood instantly brightening, a smile spreading across his mouth. He licks his lips, his taste buds turning sweet as he remembers the taste of the blood in his mouth. 

Looking at Jaemin makes him thirsty again. 

Sure, he's content, and he doesn't need to feed again, but he wants to. 

He can hear Jaemin's pulse increase at the sound of Renjun's name being mentioned. Donghyuck almost wants to taunt him just to listen to the increased heart rate, wanting to taste the quick blood flow when Jaemin gets angry. 

His desire to get close to Jaemin rises when Jaemin rolls his eyes to the back of his head. 

"Fuck Renjun," Jaemin spits out. "Clean that up, by the way. With the disinfectant wipes under the sink, Donghyuck." 

Donghyuck blinks himself out of his thoughts and pulls his needy body off of the chair in their living area, a dark room, thanks to the heavy pulled curtains and the few fans that Jaemin has set up just for the sole purpose of Donghyuck's feeding times. 

The curtains don’t stay pulled for too long though, because soon Jaemin is opening them, making Donghyuck sigh at the sunlight that is suddenly being introduced to them. 

It's not like he minds it, Donghyuck is a fool for sunlight, he loves it, he just prefers feeding and drinking when he's totally wrapped up in darkness, when he can focus on the feeling and the taste and how his body is completely reacting to it. 

"Do you need anymore?" Jaemin asks kindly. 

Donghyuck looks up from his crouched position on the floor, a crooked smile on his lips as he feels his fangs beginning to tuck away, or at least tingling as if they want to tuck away.

Jaemin stands above him, arms crossed as his soft pout plays easy on his lips. 

He looks cute like that, still dressed in his pajama pants, a big t-shirt hanging over his body. 

From Donghyuck's angle it appears as though it hangs longer, but the poor thing looks like he's drowning in it, just like he's been drowning in research for his film project he has been working on for the entire weekend. Donghyuck has helped him in terms of preparation, but Donghyuck is the last person Jaemin wants to go to for help involving anything to do with directing. 

His hair is a mess too, he really hasn't slept all that much, but he's craning his neck to the side, like he's offering his jugular to his best friend. 

Donghyuck looks down instantly when he realizes what Jaemin means. 

"Ah, Jaemin," Donghyuck whispers, bunching up the bloody disinfectant wipe in his hand, using his free hand to wrap it around Jaemin's calf. "I'm okay, bud, I promise. I'm probably gonna head out in a bit to go for a run, or something." 

Jaemin shrugs his shoulders and pushes Donghyuck off of his own leg, forcing him away. 

"You're going to be so touchy later when you come home then!" Jaemin sighs as he begins walking toward his room. "You always are when you go out and get near others!"

Donghyuck knows he doesn't mean it in a harmful way, but there's something in Jaemin's tone that makes him feel annoying, for always crawling into Jaemin's bed and begging Jaemin to let him touch his neck, to let him listen to his heartbeat with their bare skin touching as they talk about their days.

It's not too often when Donghyuck sinks his teeth into Jaemin's skin, but he always makes it feel good for Jaemin, to the point where he is even arching his body, digging his nails into Donghyuck's lower back, craving more, asking Donghyuck to do such dirty things to him that Donghyuck has to remind him who they are and where they are.

Jaemin will chuckle and flick Donghyuck on the head when he remembers the situation, and he'll even pet and hug Donghyuck to make sure he's okay and well fed. 

He really is the perfect best friend for Donghyuck, someone that Donghyuck will protect with his entire life, no matter what situations come down to. He'll put his life on the line, and face the ends of the world if it meant that he would save Jaemin, that is all that Donghyuck knows. 

"Maybe," Donghyuck stuffs his hands into his pockets after he washes his cleans himself up, his fingertips already tingling. He wants to swear, because Jaemin is right, and the numbness in his hands is already proving that Donghyuck's body needs that touch, but he is going to fight it, as he always does. "But, you're still gonna cuddle me when I get home, huh?" 

Jaemin reaches into the refrigerator and pulls out a slice of cold pizza from the previous night, putting it between his lips as he grabs one of the cameras for his film project, taking off back to his bedroom. 

"Text when you’re on your way home, got it?" 

"I got it!"

-

_8 weeks_

Donghyuck thinks that living in a big city has its benefits, especially since he's a vampire. It's much simpler to cover his tracks. But, it's always much harder when there are other vampires nearby, when there's a scent in the air that makes Donghyuck think that there must be vampires in the area, maybe some of his enemies, maybe some of his friends. No matter who it is, Donghyuck never wants to be seen around them when they are feeding, when they are killing, shredding necks and bodies in plain sight, in public, in the city — so he runs. 

Vampires aren't meant to kill others, but there's not much to prevent it from happening, especially when you have a bad one in a batch of kind ones. 

He can smell the blood in the air, can hear the gentle screams, and suddenly his teeth are prodding at his tongue, and his fingertips are aching to be held, his thighs numb as they ache to be touched. 

"I just left the house," Donghyuck whispers to himself as he runs his fingers through his hair, staring off at the sun that begins to dip behind the buildings up ahead. He thinks about texting Jaemin, just to let him know that he's suddenly getting cravings from the fact that he almost ran into a pack of vampires, maybe a gang of them in the middle of a park toward the small square on the opposite side of their area. Instead, he kicks the pavement under his feet and focuses on his breathing, trying not to listen to every single sound that sweeps in and out of his ears. 

He can hear children crying, he can hear dogs barking, the sounds of car horns and car brakes coming to a stop, but nothing compares to the heavy breathing and low groaning of a boy that sounds so close but also so far. 

Donghyuck can smell something sweet from him. 

He has no idea why he's making the noises he is making, and it almost makes him uncomfortable, but as soon as he turns the corner, putting him right on the outskirts of the city, he comes in contact with the boy, who is throwing rocks off of the bridge, right onto the train tracks, grunts rolling off of his lips as he chucks them as far as possible. 

Donghyuck is relieved to see that he is alone, and that his hands are outside of his pants, and that he's not in one of the windows, lying in bed somewhere in an apartment nearby. 

With a long and drawn out sigh, Donghyuck drags his feet toward the boy until he's standing right behind him. 

"You shouldn't throw the rocks off of the bridge like that," Donghyuck leans against it, pulling himself away when he sees how unsturdy the rods of sheet metal are. "You never know who can be down there."

It isn't that far of a drop, but regardless, Donghyuck doesn't think it's fair for this kid to be throwing rocks in the way he is.

The sound of Donghyuck's voice must have scared the boy, because he's all of a sudden trying to kick his legs up and make a run for it, catching a belt loop on a broken part of the wiring fence, swear words repeatedly running off of his mouth as he shoves the fence away from his body. 

"Yo," Donghyuck hums to himself as he watches the boy struggle, his feet slipping and struggling on the puddle. "Why are you trying to run away?"

The boy tilts his head to take a good look at Donghyuck, trying to shield over his eyes as the sunset starts to cave in around Donghyuck's body. 

It's hard to see who he is looking at, Donghyuck assumes, but it's quite simple for Donghyuck to look at him, the sun patting so graciously on his cheekbones, showing off the beautiful lining of his grin as his shoulders slump forward. 

"Oh, I thought you were a cop." 

Donghyuck's stomach turns into a whirlpool of need. 

Even this boy's voice is pretty. 

"Not a cop," Donghyuck crouches down to help the boy get his pants off of the fence, to free the fabric from possibly being ripped, from probably ripping off his body until he runs off with no pants at all. 

Donghyuck giggles at the thought. 

"Why are you laughing?" The boy gets a hold of his pants again and stands to his feet, backing away as he looks Donghyuck up and down, a hint of annoyance in his eyes. 

He's looking at Donghyuck as though he's mad at him, like they're childhood friends who have just met up after their parents told them no, like they're making up after a long fight. Donghyuck thinks that the feeling is surreal, and almost calming, it's kind of gentle on his cravings as the sun begins to set around them. 

Just before he speaks, he hears the horn of a train, all before it passes underneath them. 

"See," Donghyuck gestures underneath them. "You could have thrown that rock and busted through one of the windows and hurt someone." 

The boy huffs, placing a hand on his hip, making Donghyuck adjust his eyes, focusing on his hand movements. 

"You're so frustrating. I'm sure the glass is a lot stronger than you think. It can handle the pebbles I was throwing."

Donghyuck scoffs and clicks his tongue, holding his hand out. 

"Donghyuck," he mutters. 

The boy's eyebrows cave in, and it's then when Donghyuck decides to focus in on them. They're dark, positioned perfectly on his forehead, so carefully, they're detailed above his eyes and pushing inward. Donghyuck also can't help but trail his eyes down to the boy's neck, his breath catching in his throat when he watches the way the boy cranes it to the side, like he's presenting it. 

Donghyuck literally has to turn his head and swear, setting both of his hands on the railing as he squeezes the rusted metal, his body tingling, his cravings burning him from the inside out. 

"So I was right," the boy says cockily. "You're a vampire." 

There's a hiss that Donghyuck sucks off of his tongue, his neck popping when he tilts back to the boy. He no longer can see the glow of the sunset on his cheekbones, which is disappointing, because he thinks it was quite beautiful against the skin. 

"How did you know?" Donghyuck swallows, his gums throbbing as he grinds his teeth together. 

The boy coughs into his elbow as he raises his eyebrow, such a smirk on his face as he rolls his eyes back into his head. 

"You're hot as fuck," he hums. "Your mannerisms gave it away, bud. I also know a few vampires, you reminded me of them." 

Donghyuck feels the burning in his body spreading. 

He doesn't need to be getting turned on by just a few words of this beautiful boy, standing in front of him, doing a few spins as the sun decides to close around him, kicking rocks off of the bridge. 

Him and these damn rocks.

"Stop," Donghyuck pushes forward as the boy walks backward.

"Stop me then," he raises an eyebrow, holding his hands up in the air as he kicks a few more rocks off of the bridge. 

He begins to run backward, giggling as he stumbles over the broken pieces of wood, some of them torn from nails. 

Donghyuck knows he's going to trip and fall right onto his ass, then he's probably going to bleed, and Donghyuck doesn't know how good he is going to be at resisting blood from a boy who probably tastes extremely fucking sweet.

Now, Donghyuck could be at his side in half a second, slapping an arm around this boy's waist to prevent him from falling. Or, he could be growling in his ear, scaring him into behaving instead of kicking these rocks off of the goddamn bridge. 

But instead, Donghyuck is jogging forward at a human speed, rolling his eyes when the boy turns on his feet and begins to sprint. 

"Fuck, dude," Donghyuck speeds up. 

He feels something in his chest. 

He's annoyed, that's for sure. 

He is also a tad bit weak, because he wants to get home, he wants to lie next to Jaemin, press his lips to his neck so he can listen to his heartbeat and hear his blood flow, maybe even take a sip from his wrist or something, because Donghyuck is awfully thirsty from his intensified cravings right now. 

But, he's chasing a stranger on a bridge instead of fixing his body's needs. 

He finally is able to grasp the boy by the waist, all before he pushes him against one of the cement poles, his chest almost right up against his, both of them out of breath, open mouths panting as they smile gently. 

"You're not that fast," the boy scowls at him, his neck still craned to the side. 

Donghyuck almost rolls his eyes into the back of his head. 

This boy smells like cinnamon, which means he probably tastes like the sweetest sugar canes, maybe even milk chocolate, or vanilla bean, or something. It's like an addicting kind of scent, and Donghyuck almost wants to claw at his hips and slam up against him so he can sink his teeth into his neck, leaving him sucked dry. 

"I could've gone faster," Donghyuck groans. "I didn't want to scare you." 

The boy pulls his damn eyebrows together again. 

"I am not scared of you," he grunts. "You're definitely much softer than my vampire friends." 

Donghyuck hates being compared to other vampires, so he feels a bullet through his chest, and he steps closer to the boy. He's pretty sure the boy must be taking it as a threat, because he raises his eyebrow even higher. 

"Are you thirsty?"

"No."

The boy lifts Donghyuck's lip with his thumb and his forefinger, his eyes squinting as he smirks. 

"These say otherwise, babe." 

The way he is speaking to Donghyuck makes him want to sink his teeth in even more, deeper as he holds onto him, his fingernails scratching up his neck. It even makes him want to grip onto his back, his hand maybe slipping under his shirt as he listens to the sounds the boy will make as he rolls his tongue over the wound as he sucks from him. 

"I'm not going to drink from you," Donghyuck reassures him, thumbing over his side, listening to his head. 

The boy leans his face in until his mouth is right by Donghyuck's ear. 

"C'mon," his voice is low. "How's it go, like this?" 

Donghyuck nearly sees black when the boy licks at his neck, biting down on his jugular. His hands aren't gripped anywhere on Donghyuck's body, and he's kind of glad because he's not sure how amplified it would make him feel. 

"Tell me your name," Donghyuck grips his sides tighter, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as he breathes in deeply. 

The boy giggles and pulls back, cocking an eyebrow up. 

Donghyuck wonders if he's going to become obsessed with this boy's eyebrows. 

"Take a sip and I'll tell you." 

"No."

Mark slumps his shoulders and shoves Donghyuck away, rolling his eyes in the process.

It has become dark, and now instead of the sunlight greeting his cheekbones, they're greeted by the streetlights as they meet the end of the bridge. 

Donghyuck still thinks he looks pretty. 

"Why do you want me to drink from you, anyway?" Donghyuck questions as he watches the boy leave the railing, walking away from where he was pushed up against it, just walking with his shoulders slumped. 

There's something strange in his posture, and Donghyuck isn't too good at reading people, but he is sure that there is a strange vibe coming from this guy. 

He isn't just saying that because he wants to take him home and hear Mark whine in his ear while he claws at Donghyuck's back. 

"I like the feeling," he mutters as he looks back at Donghyuck. "It makes me feel good when vampires drink from me."

Donghyuck feels his skin run cold, his back straightening up when he hears the words. 

He's already beyond needy, his fingers tingling, teeth throbbing. He didn't think he was thirsty, but he's dying to sink his teeth into a body, and now he's attached to the boy in front of him, and feeling completely jealous over the fact that he has been touched by other vampires. 

Vampires that aren't him. 

"I should go," Donghyuck mutters. 

He needs Jaemin. 

He needs the skin contact, because his eyes are beginning to blur over and he can tell his posture is becoming uneasy, his stance wobbling. 

"See you around, Donghyuck!"

Donghyuck raises his eyebrow this time, his eyes narrowing in on the boy's arm, trying to check the numbers. 

Living in a world trying to strive for immortality is fucking weird sometimes. 

It makes you feel as though things are sometimes unreal. 

Donghyuck, who has been around for quite some time, has gone through seeing the failed experiments like The Androids for example, which are hardly spoken about. The government works hard to find new ways to create immortality for everyone, and vampires were one of the first experiments to be done, which is why Donghyuck will walk around and gladly shove into Jaemin's face that he is a lot more experienced than he is. 

Vampires are still around, but not enough to be talked about as much as they used to be. 

The newest and most popular round of immortality experiments, the one that has been lasting for years upon years, the one with the highest success rate, and the one seeming the most fair, has been the currency of time. 

Donghyuck has lived through the riots of those who hate it, those who think it's unfair, or those who strive to go through the procedures to have the timestamps on their wrists. 

There's even times where Donghyuck wishes he could be like them, instead of a goddamn vampire. 

Donghyuck will run his fingers over Jaemin's numbers and tell him to be grateful for who he is, because living as a vampire isn't always what Donghyuck wants in life. But other times, Donghyuck keeps his mouth closed, watching people run out of time, watching their loved ones die right in front of them. 

Time is a dirty business, sometimes. It's cruel. 

Looking at Mark, seeing him hide his wrist makes Donghyuck quite curious.

He's too dizzy to see the numbers, and the boy is hiding it casually as he grins. 

"Get home safely," Donghyuck begins to back away. "And stop throwing those fucking rocks." 

Donghyuck turns to walk away, just to hear a loud thump from behind him. He doesn't need to turn to know that the boy has disobeyed and thrown a large rock off of the bridge, making Donghyuck lift his hand to hold his middle finger up.

-

He lets out a frustrated groan when he slams the apartment door shut, his eyes already searching for Jaemin. 

There's music coming from his bedroom, and Donghyuck tilts his ear toward the room, trying to make sure Jaemin isn't preoccupied, trying to make sure he isn't on the phone, trying to make sure he doesn't have anyone over or anything of that sort. 

With a gentle rubbing along the tip of his nose, Donghyuck slips into the bedroom to see Jaemin perched up by his camera equipment, looking out of his window, dressed in an oversized sweater, with just a pair of shorts underneath. 

He can see the backs of his thighs, warm and exciting to Donghyuck, making him smile because he knows Jaemin has just taken a shower for the first time in like three days, and he knows he's cozy, and he knows he is definitely going to be a lot of fun to cuddle with. 

"You're finally back," Jaemin turns himself back around, moving one leg off of the chair he was standing on, making his sweater fall even longer down his legs. 

His blonde hair is so long, still wet it seems, and he smells so good. 

"I am," Donghyuck's eyes must look calmed down, because Jaemin is tilting his head to the side, almost giggling at him and his posture. 

"What on earth is going on in your head, dude?" 

Donghyuck takes a moment to take a deep breath as he toes off his shoes, kicking them off to the side of Jaemin's bedroom, somewhere along with all of his other shoes. He doesn't really care if they're going to get lost amongst the mess, or tucked underneath the piece of furniture next to the desk. 

"I don't think I have ever wanted to fuck someone so bad," Donghyuck blinks. "Jaemin, take off your clothes." 

Jaemin chokes as he sets down his camera. 

"Me?!" 

Donghyuck undoes the belt of his pants, bursting out into laughter as he finds something comfortable of Jaemin's to wear. 

Jaemin is always easy to rely on when it comes to oversized clothes, so it is simple for Donghyuck to throw on a hoodie, one that is white, covered in stains that refuse to come out, no matter how many times both of them have washed it. Donghyuck is pretty sure that there are blood stains on it too, because he does remember drinking from Jaemin when he was wearing it. 

"No, you dumbass," Donghyuck corrects himself, laughing at the way they managed to mix the conversation up. "There was this guy."

Jaemin cocks his head to the side as he lifts his sweater over his head, climbing into the bed with Donghyuck, pulling him right against his body, chest against chest as Donghyuck presses his lips to Jaemin's neck, humming when Donghyuck feels the relief rushing over him. 

The tingling begins to fade slower than usual, and maybe it's because he's actually thirsty this time around, despite the fact that he fed earlier in the day. 

Jaemin laces their fingers together before he pushes his leg between Donghyuck's, hearing a soft groan in return as Jaemin hikes his leg up further. 

"Do you like my leg there?" Jaemin whispers to the closed eyes in front of him. 

Donghyuck nods quickly, pursing his lips, loving the way Jaemin's neck flexes as he speaks, his heartbeat pulsing against his lips. 

"Tell me about this guy?" Jaemin rubs at Donghyuck's back, nails scratching at his side, giving him the comfort he needs, the comfort he deserves. 

Donghyuck feels his eyes trying to blink underneath his lids as he draws his tongue over Jaemin's neck, wetting the skin, pulling it between his teeth to pinch it. 

Sometimes Donghyuck has to be careful when he messes with Jaemin's neck, especially with Jaemin, because he’s just a human — just a sensitive human who will really curl his fists together at the feeling of someone practically kissing his neck, biting it, running their tongue up and down, putting pressure on his jugular. He'll whine sometimes, and even try to compress it, and Donghyuck has told him plenty of times to just let it out because it sounds much worse when he tries to hold it back, it sounds much lower, hotter, and Donghyuck feels much closer to him when his voice is low like that. 

Donghyuck finds the right pressure point, feeling the heartbeat comfortably under his lips as his hand wraps tighter around Jaemin's fingers, the heat of his skin warming Donghyuck up in such a comfortable way. 

He hums. 

Jaemin giggles as he knows that Donghyuck has reached his most comfortable spot. 

With another simple effort, Jaemin moves his free hand to Donghyuck's hair, just fingering through the curls there, hoping to ease him a little bit more. 

"Yes, please," Donghyuck mutters. "He was absolutely beautiful, first of all." 

"Describe him." 

Donghyuck gives an annoying kind of groan. 

"You want me to describe him when I am already overwhelmed from the thought of him?" Donghyuck bares his teeth at Jaemin's neck, making him suck in a deep breath. 

It's sharp, and Donghyuck can tell that he isn't scared, maybe more aroused than anything. 

Donghyuck slaps him on the stomach. 

"Stop it," Donghyuck casts a short sort of giggle, his breath hot on Jaemin's neck. 

"Aw, c'mon, give me a bite," Jaemin whispers.

Donghyuck can hear Mark in Jaemin's words as memories of the night cross over and over in his mind, like a goddamn train, like _the_ goddamn train from earlier, the sounds, all of them echoing around him, making him feel so intense, every feeling in his body so amplified as he shivers all of a sudden, nearly scaring Jaemin half to death. 

The vampire pulls himself back from Jaemin, whose eyes flutter open with a smirk on his face, his eyebrows drawn in slightly, a crease forming there. 

Donghyuck hates to see it, so he rubs his palm against Jaemin's face — just something to help rub out any kinks there, anything that is causing him to get any wrinkles, because Donghyuck definitely does not want him to be worrying right now. 

"Are you horny as fuck, or what?" Jaemin chuckles. 

Yeah, Donghyuck would prefer if Jaemin would just keep his mouth closed. 

Sometimes Donghyuck hates that Jaemin is not afraid of the fact that his best friend is a blood sucking monster, and the fact that he's lying up against him, his teeth scraping against his neck. 

It would take one bite, just a single one, for Donghyuck to rip Jaemin's neck open, to let the blood spew out from his body, out over his sheets, across their bodies. But the thing is, Donghyuck would love to drink it, while Jaemin would just struggle lifelessly, shaking violently as he grips at Donghyuck's sides, aching to be brought back to life as Donghyuck ignores him, filling him up with the power that he needs to survive. 

"I might be," Donghyuck dives deeper into his neck, pulling Jaemin up against him, hovering over him, his eyes boring into Jaemin's. 

He never keeps his eyes open when he's this close to someone in bed — it always amplifies his feelings, making his need to feed a whole lot more intense. 

So, Jaemin swallows. 

He's surprised to see Donghyuck staring down at him. 

"Aren't you?" Donghyuck licks his lip, his teeth throbbing. 

He's teasing him, of course he is. 

Jaemin ruffles Donghyuck's hair. 

"I think you turn me on everytime we get into bed together," Jaemin winks. 

Donghyuck rolls off of him, shoving him off with an annoyed groan. 

He's settled. His body is more comfortable, warmer now that he's been able to have a fix of a heartbeat, to feel the blood flow, almost as if it were his own. 

"That is disgusting," Donghyuck pinches the skin on Jaemin's stomach. "I love it." 

"I was joking, you dick!" Jaemin folds his fingers into Donghyuck's hair as he looks down at him. 

Donghyuck tilts his head up as he rubs his cheek on Jaemin's stomach, dragging his tongue along his abdomen, nosing above his belly button, cocking an eyebrow up as he smirks. 

"You look hot from this angle," Donghyuck comments. "Throw your neck back for me, baby." 

Jaemin knocks him over the head, sitting up as he pulls Donghyuck by his hair, until he is sitting with him.

"You are the most irritating vampire I know, Lee Donghyuck," Jaemin frustratingly pulls himself out of bed, finding his sweater as he pulls it over his body. 

He looks much softer this time, the length of it still reaching past the middle of his thighs. It's just slightly longer, and Donghyuck thinks it might be because he was stretching it as he was trying to yank it off of his body the moment Donghyuck asked him to crawl into bed with him. Whatever the case may be, Jaemin looks soft, his hair poking out in a hundred different directions as he yawns, stretching his arms behind his head. 

"You definitely do not know too many vampires, Na—" Donghyuck cuts himself off when he gets a sharp pain in his left thigh. 

Running his hand down his body, and tossing the blanket off of him, he's surprised to see a bruise there. 

He huffs and examines the thing, poking it, cocking his head to the side. 

Jaemin dips his knee into the bed as he peers down at it, his head cocking from one side to the other as he bites on his dry lip, tugging it as he sniffles. He looks like he's focused, really trying to examine what on earth is on his upper thigh. 

"I didn't know vampires could bruise like that," he whispers. 

Donghyuck squints at him, running his fingers over it. 

It hurts. 

He bites down on his tongue, his fangs dulling as his cravings fade around him. 

"I didn't think so either."

-

_7 weeks_

"Just go look for him!" Jaemin sets down the drink at the coffee shop, flipping his notebook over as he crosses out yet another sentence, trying to write a new one down. 

Donghyuck takes a sip of water from the cup, slumping his shoulders as he pays attention to the way the letters come off of the pen. 

He doesn't think he's ever seen such beautiful handwriting from someone, and he definitely knows that he could watch Jaemin write for hours on end. His letters are so small, connecting right on the ends, but it's so legible in a gracious kind of way that makes Donghyuck think it would be a font on a computer. He thinks that it actually should be, and maybe he'll have to contact someone somewhere in order to turn Na Jaemin's handwriting into a goddamn font. 

"Why on earth would I do that?"

Jaemin drops his pen. 

Correction, Jaemin crosses out the sentence, and Donghyuck watches the perfectly written sentence go to waste, his entire heart being crushed as the lines of the pen run over the beautiful letters — and then he drops his pen.

"You said you saw him by the tracks, right?" Jaemin asks as he sips on his coffee. 

Donghyuck nods his head. 

"Yeah, but it's highly unlikely that he'll be there again." 

"Why do you say that?" 

"I already checked," Donghyuck extends his arm on the table, apologizing to the person he hits as they walk by their table. He readjusts his positioning and leans his cheek down on the table and finally lets out a sad kind of whimper. 

Jaemin crosses out another idea on his notebook, swallowing his coffee like it's water, sucking it down until the ice makes his brain hurt. 

"Jesus, Jaemin, slow down," Donghyuck warns him. 

"You are moping around the apartment too much because you are dying to see this guy again," Jaemin tells him as he jots down a new idea. 

Donghyuck reads it upside down. 

He's a stroyteller, a director, Jaemin is beautiful in the film world, but he's also really fucking stressed. 

"You should get laid," Donghyuck hums. 

Jaemin drops his pen and lays his head on the opposite side of the table, so they're face to face, both of them giggling at the fact that they're really doing this in the middle of their favorite coffee shop. 

Donghyuck's smile extends on his face. 

He loves Jaemin more than life. 

"I should," Jaemin says. "I should call Renjun."

Donghyuck sits up. 

"You should not!" 

Jaemin follows him and slumps in his seat. 

"Renjun wouldn't mind," he bites down on his lip. 

Donghyuck raises an eyebrow at him, his insides burning as he hears Jaemin talk about his ex boyfriend, thinking back to Jaemin's break-up, the break-up that completely tore him apart, leaving the apartment silent and smelling like old sheets. 

Of course, Donghyuck didn't mind taking care of Jaemin. 

He doesn't eat human food. 

He can, though. 

Hell, he learned how to cook for the sole purpose of making Jaemin happy. He'd read through recipe books, nearly mix up a bottle of hot sauce and his wine glass of blood as he cooked for Jaemin. He tasted it first, tongue burning as he reassured himself that it is hot sauce that he's adding to the recipe. 

Jaemin, broken hearted Jaemin, cried into his food because he was so overwhelmed that his vampire of a roommate had done this much for him. 

Donghyuck really does love Jaemin. 

"We don't hook up with exes, Jaemin. That's messy," Donghyuck reminds him. 

Jaemin breathes through his nose. 

"I know," he purses his lips. "It won't happen again."

"Again?!" 

"He's back in town, Donghyuck. We broke up because he had to move away, but we just started texting, and then met up and I couldn't help it, he couldn't help it and—"

"—and you fucked him?"

Jaemin pokes his tongue into his cheek and sighs. 

"Stress relief?" Jaemin tries to cover it up. 

Donghyuck flicks him on the head. 

"Just be careful."

-

_6 weeks_

Donghyuck is shopping for a gift for Jaemin a week later when he smells a familiar scent of cinnamon in the air. His eyes blur over, his teeth throbbing as his fingertips sting lightly. He's in the middle of a shop, a large one, full of too many scents for it to be a coincidence.

He spins his head around, hearing the exchange of people trading time to buy candles, to buy fragrances, to just buy some simple flowers from the florist tucked away in the corner, accompanied by his young daughter in pigtails with a bright smile.

It's too overwhelming for him. 

Surely he's just gotten too close to something that smells like cinnamon. 

There's no way that the boy from the railroad tracks is in this shop with him, this close to him, making Donghyuck's cravings spike up with just a stupid smell of cinnamon. 

He's here to find something for Jaemin's birthday, something that he'll love, something strong for his room. He loves sweet smells, compared to Donghyuck who loves the clean sort of scents. 

He whips his head around when he gets another whiff of the cinnamon, even closer this time, even stronger. 

There's a sizzling over his skin, something he senses when there are other vampires nearby, and suddenly Dongyuck can't think of anything other than the fact that he knows he needs to get the fuck out of the store. 

His head spins. 

Every goddamn sound is too loud in his head, and suddenly heartbeats are everywhere, in his ears, blood feeling like it's rushing over him. 

Donghyuck thinks about stopping in his path.

He thinks about calling Jaemin to come pick him up, so he can hold his hand and nurse his cravings back down until he's calm again, but he's frustrated in the fact that he's acting like this over a single human being. 

So, with an annoying huff, Donghyuck keeps walking until he's on the outskirts of downtown, until he reaches the railroad tracks, just to see the boy sitting on the edge of the bridge, throwing more rocks down. 

"Fucking idiot," Donghyuck whispers as he watches him continue to throw rocks as the train rolls by. 

He drags his feet through the water of the bridge, through the holes and puddles from the rain that must've occured in the middle of the night. 

Donghyuck doesn't quite remember because he was fast asleep. 

"Did you follow me into that store?" Donghyuck approaches him, hands on the railing as he watches him throw, listening to the bounce as soon as he hits the track. 

By this time the train has passed, and the boy seems as though he is trying to hit it right on the side, so he can hear the echo, making an achieved hum every time it makes the loud noise. 

"I just happened to be in there at the same time," he says. "You know there is such a thing as a coincidence."

Donghyuck swallows.

Finally, the boy cranes his neck upward, and that is when Donghyuck is able to get a good look at the way a little bit of his skin is exposed beyond his turtleneck. 

_Ah, no wonder he smells so strongly of that cinnamon kind of smell._

He's been bitten by another vampire. Many times. 

Donghyuck feels his stomach turning, his body stinging. 

"Holy fuck," he crouches. "What the hell happened to your neck?" 

The boy pulls his shirt lower, showing off his bites, showing off his collarbones in a way that makes Donghyuck want to scold him for doing so. 

"I told you," he mutters. "I like the feeling." 

Donghyuck hisses, and slaps his hand away, making him hide them once more. 

The boy chuckles as he smirks. 

"Are you jealous?" 

"Yes." 

Donghyuck can't lie. 

His body is somehow heating up, his teeth are poking at his lip, he hardly knows this boy, but he's fucking pissed off that he has been touched by another vampire that isn't him. 

"Hey, hot stuff, calm down," the boy ruffles his hair. "I'm just playing. My best friend is a vampire, and he's had a bad few days, so I offered to help him." 

Donghyuck breathes out through his nose, not really knowing how to feel about the words he is hearing. 

"You shouldn't offer yourself like that. I'm sure your friend can control and take care just fine." 

There's a soft chuckle in the air as the boy continues to pet over Donghyuck's hair, and it makes him wonder why on earth he is still touching him, softly, even. He could just pull away, he could be getting mad at Donghyuck for telling his friend off, for popping into his business in the first place. 

"You don't have a friend who will do anything to help you?" He hums. 

_Jaemin._

Donghyuck huffs. 

"See," he licks his lips. "I'm fine. I produce blood well, it comes back. I like to help. That's my job. I don't need it for much longer anyway." 

Donghyuck hates the way it sounds from his mouth. He doesn't question it. 

"What are you doing out here?" Donghyuck asks him, changing the subject. 

The boy purses his lips and hums, squinting an eye as he smiles. 

"Having a pretty shitty birthday."

Donghyuck chokes on his spit as he stares at the boy who looks straight ahead. 

"You're—It's your birthday?" 

The boy nods his head a few times before he looks back up, rolling his eyes. 

"Say it, so we can cut the awkward shit," he stands to his feet. 

"Happy birthday," Donghyuck looks him up and down, noticing then that he has a few colored beads on his wrist, and some glitter. "Did you leave your own birthday party or something?"

"Yeah." 

Donghyuck shuts up. 

So, they sit there, awkwardly staring forward as they wait for more trains to come down the tracks, or up, or just something, Something that'll add sound to the silence that swims around them. 

No one walks over the bridge, so it's just them and the sound of the boy's heart beating slowly as he puffs air in his cheek, his blue jeans on his legs scraping against the rusty old railing that is flaking off from the awful paint job that should have never been done. 

Donghyuck looks at him, tracks his eyes over the boy's jawline, the sharpness of the smooth skin so visible. Donghyuck thinks he's hot, of course, he's cocky and annoying, he's really fucking hot, but he's also beautiful, and gentle, and his smile is sincere, and delicate, and he's only seen him yawn a couple times, especially because they seem to be meeting late in the evenings, but he thinks it's adorable when he does so. He also is obsessed with this boy's eyebrows. 

"Good god," Donghyuck grunts as he lays his hand on the boy's elbow, turning him toward him. "Please, what is your name?" 

The boy smirks at him, licking over his lips a couple times as he leans forward, sticking his hands into Donghyuck's hair. 

He must really have a thing for it, because he can't seem to stop touching it. 

Not that Donghyuck minds, because he quite likes having his hair messed with, he loves the way goosebumps rise on his skin when someone is messing with his hair and they try to pull their fingers out, but there's a bit of a knot between two strands. His eyes will blur over, and he'll either close them or blink before he rolls them to the back of his head, because Donghyuck really has a thing for people putting their hands in his hair. 

"Lee Minhyung," he whispers. "Call me Mark, though, I go by Mark. Mark Lee." 

Donghyuck says it a hundred times in his head before he can even push the name off of his tongue. 

"Mark," he says, the name jumping right off. 

It's slippery, coming off his tongue in a hushed tone, so carelessly, but also so cautiously, like he's protecting it.

Mark raises an eyebrow, he's raising that _damn eyebrow_ that Donghyuck can't stop watching, dark colored, while his brunette hair falls over it, making him a lot more attractive. 

"I only like to be called Minhyung in very intimate situations," Mark mutters as he pulls his sleeves over his hands. 

Donghyuck wonders why the boy is sharing this information with him. 

So, of course, he asks. 

"And you're telling me this, why?"

Mark cocks an eyebrow up. 

"For when you're ready to bite me."

Donghyuck grips his chin and squeezes his cheeks together, eyeing him like it's his job, making Mark smile wide as he giggles underneath the touch, whimpering as the vampire's fingers are beginning to hurt from the touch. Donghyuck doesn't let go though. 

"Would you stop asking me to bite you?" Donghyuck warns, humor behind his voice as his chest rises and falls with laughter as Mark pokes him right over his sternum.

Mark pulls away from the grip finally, his body squirming away as he jogs a few feet back, turning back as he comes near Donghyuck, like he's a damn magnet — because maybe he really is. 

He looks at Donghyuck, biting his tongue. 

"Can I make the rest of your birthday memorable?" Donghyuck asks him, feeling a nerve in his stomach. 

He is nervous, he will admit that easily. 

It's not hard to feel that in his body. 

As a vampire, Donghyuck is used to feeling about a hundred different things in a day, some more intense than others. He can recognize his thirst from the cravings, and he can tell the difference between a little bit of pain, and clearly now he knows he can bruise all of a sudden. Now, he feels the nerves as he waits for Mark to answer him, the boy's eyes squinted as he blows air up as his bangs, trying to move them out of his eyes as he gets a good look at Donghyuck. 

"I like the way you are dressed by the way," Mark tells him. "You're wearing a really nice sweater." 

Donghyuck thinks he is blushing. 

If he had blood flowing in his body, he would say that he is red in the face. 

He loves compliments, even the simplest and kindest ones. 

It's true, Donghyuck is wearing a simple sweater with a nice design, just tucked right in the front of his black jeans. 

"Thank you," he whispers. 

He is starting to think that maybe Mark doesn't want to spend time with him, and maybe that is why he changed the subject, so Donghyuck picks up a rock and hands it to him, cocking his head to the railroad tracks, feeling awkward when a train decides to show up all of a sudden. 

Mark darts his tongue out to wet his lips. 

"Donghyuck," he drops the rock.

"Hm?"

"I would love to spend the rest of my birthday with you." He hums in a singsong kind of voice, the sweet melody filling Donghyuck with joy as he smiles brightly. "My last one." 

Donghyuck clicks his tongue and manages to overload himself with more nerves when he holds his hand out. 

Mark looks down as he obeys and lifts his arm in a slow sort of way, sniffling quietly as he rests his forearm in the base of Donghyuck's hands, like he's presenting himself. 

He takes a moment to search through the human's eyes, trying to read through him as he looks through the color, something kind and genuine staring back at him, like it's scared or something. Donghyuck almost thinks that he is wrong for making Mark present and expose himself in a way like this, but Mark doesn't seem to mind that he is doing it. 

He would've pulled away by now. 

Donghyuck pulls up his sleeve and hums when he runs his fingers over the numbers, reading something he really didn't expect from someone Mark's age. 

"Why are you letting it run so low?" Donghyuck whispers. 

He can feel Mark's heart speeding up upon being touched on the delicate skin on the inside of his arm. 

He must be sensitive there. 

Mark chuckles. 

"It won't go up anymore. Stopped going up that day I ran into you. Unfortunate, but.. this is all I have left," he hums, pulling his sleeve back down, clicking his tongue. "So, what's first? What have you got planned for my birthday, Donghyuck?"

Donghyuck squints his eyes, staying still as Mark begins to walk toward the city, already lowering his shoulders as he starts to participate in his favorite activity — kicking rocks as he whistles. 

Lifting half of his face into a sad smile, Donghyuck follows Mark, skipping after him. 

-

They find themselves deep in a bar, neon lights and live music surrounding them, Mark's hands cupping a drink as he sips on it. He's half leaning off his barstool, his knees between Donghyuck's parted legs, cheeks tinted red as he interacts in a conversation, voice rising and falling as he tries to speak over the music, slapping a hand over his face when he realizes how awkward he sounds when the music is silent, and his voice is overbearing. 

Donghyuck just lays his hand over Mark's knee, humming and promising him that most people are too drunk to even notice that he is talking louder than he needs to be. 

With a slap to his arm, Mark squints his eyes at the vampire in front of him, like he's a drop of honey, warmed up by his soft sweater. 

He's a vampire. 

Mark would assume that Donghyuck would be dressed in a leather jacket, hair maybe slicked back with too much gel, dark makeup around his eyes as he haunts through the streets of their city. 

But instead, he's just sitting so graciously, his fingers rubbing back and forth on Mark's knee as he tells him a bunch of old stories, about how he's lived a long life — because Mark has asked. 

Mark wants to hear about long lives right now because Donghyuck knows how much longer Mark has to live, and Mark doesn't really want to talk about himself. 

Not until he brings up his wrist. 

Mark tells him about the first night that they had met, about how he was a major spender, about how he loves to spend money, or rather, spend his currency — time, on his friends, and how he noticed that he couldn't get any the night when Donghyuck had run into him. 

That was when he had 1344 hours left. 

It's been about two weeks since he had last seen him, so now Mark's arm reads a different amount of time.

"Don't worry too much," Mark tells him as he swallows the rest of his drink. "I'm learning to accept, you know."

Donghyuck doesn't think anyone should. 

He laughs as the thought crosses his mind, him, a vampire, telling his new friend that no one deserves to accept death, when he's the one who walks around wanting to dig his teeth into people's necks and drink them until there's not a single ounce of life left in their entire bodies. 

Donghyuck blinks before he can say anything to Mark. 

He just scoots forward, pulling his stool toward the boy who is now spilling his drink over his bottom lip. 

"Aw, c'mon Mark," Donghyuck thumbs at the drink on his chin, pushing his thumb into his mouth as he sucks on it. "You're spilling it."

Mark watches him like a hawk, cheeks heating up as he peers at Donghyuck over his glass, raising his damn eyebrow. Mark sets his glass down and licks his lips. 

"Sorry," he apologizes. 

Donghyuck doesn't really think he needs to be apologizing to him at all. 

His body is becoming tense as he sits this close to Mark, who is drinking slowly, his eyes on Donghyuck the entire time, like it's intimate. 

Donghyuck does the same, eyes digging into Mark's, barely shifting off of his shoulder as he realizes why he's so damn tense. 

He growls low as he moves his head forward, nearly dropping it to Mark's chest, because they really are that close. Mark reaches out and tucks some of Donghyuck's hair behind his hair as he hums low, pulling him just the slightest bit closer. 

"Who's here?" Mark asks. "I don't want to look and make it obvious, so would you mind telling me?"

Donghyuck swallows, nodding his head. 

"His name is Dejun," Donghyuck says low. 

"Is he a human? A vampire? Something else?" 

Donghyuck sticks his tongue into his cheek and bites down. 

"An asshole." 

Mark bursts into laughter. 

"Really?" Mark touches his hair again, which calms Donghyuck in an instant. 

"Yeah," Donghyuck grits his teeth. "He's like me, if that's what you are asking. We go pretty far back. Him and his friends don't get along with me and mine. It's one of those things where you see that person and they instantly make you want to curl your fist up and scream."

Mark chuckles, folding his fingers around Donghyuck’s curled ones. 

"Let's get out of here, then?" Mark asks. "Before he sees you?"

Donghyuck looks up into Mark's eyes, wanting to melt at the way he's being so careful and gentle with him, over just the thought of another vampire nearby. Maybe Mark's friend has explained how irritating it is to be in the same room as another vampire that you really despise, especially when you're hanging around a human that it looks like you're going to take home to drink from. 

"Oh, he already knows I am here," Donghyuck looks up from Mark's chest, tilting his head and shifting his body so he can direct his attention toward Dejun once more, who is just throwing darts at the wall, hitting his friends on the back as he takes a sip of his drink, holding someone against him as he drags his mouth against their neck. 

Donghyuck stands up as he kicks his stool back, the familiar smell of blood filling his nostrils. 

Dejun is feeding in the middle of a bar. 

In the middle of a very unpopular and rarely busy bar. 

It's not right to be doing so, and Donghyuck feels himself getting angrier at the fact that he might be doing it just to be pissing him off — since the last time they had spoken, it was over an altercation because Donghyuck was feeding in the middle of an abandoned park. 

"Hey, woah.." Mark cups Donghyuck's cheeks and follows his face, catching his view, making Donghyuck look at him, until his eyes catch onto him. "Look at me, look here, right at me." 

Donghyuck almost wants to push Mark out of the way, hard, maybe nail him down against the bar and tell him never to get in the way of an angry vampire. 

"That's good, like that," Donghyuck hears from Mark, and suddenly he blinks, realizing that his hands are holding onto Mark's hips. "Let up a little Donghyuck, don't hurt me, okay?"

Donghyuck pulls his hands away slowly and then all at once, wondering how on earth his mind was thinking about pushing Mark away while his hands were holding Mark, his body listening to the way Mark was touching him. He apologizes softly.

He lets Mark hold him, paying attention to the silky skin against his cheeks, eyes tracing over every feature on Mark's face, particularly focusing on the way Mark's eyebrows are so drawn in, so beautiful and addicting, just by the look of them. 

Donghyuck can't fucking look away from them. 

"I like museums."

"Huh?" 

"Want to go?" 

Donghyuck shakes his head at him, mouth opening and closing as he cocks his head to the side, trying to understand what Mark is trying to say, or what he is trying to ask, rather. 

"It's late, Mark, everything is closed."

"Dude, you're a vampire. Can't you sneak us in?" 

Donghyuck feels his shoulders relaxing, but he also feels a tingling up his spine at the smell of blood that is so strong in the bar, something that smells so sharp that he almost tastes it. His teeth are throbbing, and he clenches his jaw as Mark clasps his hands together, grabbing Donghyuck's hand, telling him not to look back as he pulls him out of the bar. 

"You've gotta know how to run away from people when you don't wanna talk to them or see them," Mark tells him as he puts his hands into his pockets, bouncing on his toes as he walks down the sidewalk. 

Donghyuck snickers as he shakes his head. 

He thinks Mark is such an interesting kind of guy, so dauntless, carefree, wanting to do so many different things at the same time. Granted, he's a little bit tipsy right now, cheeks tinted warm, and he probably tastes so fucking good, Donghyuck thinks. 

"Museum, Mark?" Donghyuck asks. 

Mark nods his head as he raises his eyebrows in a suggestive kind of way. 

"An art one?" 

"One with about a million cameras?" Donghyuck scoffs. "You've gotta be down for something else." 

Mark grabs onto Donghyuck's sleeve. 

"You could bite me? Give me a really nice birthday treat." 

Donghyuck swallows hard. 

He can see the humor behind Mark's eyes. He knows it by now, it's clear and obvious, it's warm, and Donghyuck likes the way it looks on him, it's honorable. He smirks and steps closer to Mark, who darts his tongue out to wet his lips, a wider smirk spreading across his lips as he flattens them into a line. 

It takes Donghyuck half a second before he puts a finger underneath Mark's chin, lifting it to the point where he can look a little higher into his eyes, the strength of their eyes pulling them a lot closer to each other. 

"Do you want to see something cool that I can do?" Donghyuck murmurs. "It's a vampire thing."

Mark nods his head, and Donghyuck can tell that his heart is picking up, he can hear it before he almost feels it against his chest, _because that's really how close they are._

Donghyuck holds his hand up, showing Mark the back of it as he spreads out all five of his fingers, opening and closing them a few times. 

"You have to pay attention, okay?" 

Mark nods his head, his eyes squinting as he looks at Donghyuck's hand like it's a sacred piece of an object, like it's gold, or a diamond that has been kept away in a special glass box in the middle of an island tucked away somewhere a few miles off of the coast of Alaska. 

"So, don't touch this finger here," he gestures to his thumb. "Push these three down very slowly, and pay attention to my mouth." 

Mark swallows hard and does as he is told, watching the way the fingers move down, leaving Donghyuck's middle finger up in the air. He keeps his eyes stuck on Donghyuck's mouth as he struggles to pay attention to the fingers as well. 

All of sudden Donghyuck is flexing his middle finger toward him. Mark shoves it out of his face.

"Fuck off," Donghyuck spits out. "I am not biting you, now stop asking." 

He starts to walk down the sidewalk again, hearing Mark chuckling from behind him as he drags his feet to keep up. 

"You're funny, Donghyuck," Mark catches up to him in a moment's time, slapping a hand on his shoulder. "I like you."

\- 

**Jaemin**  
where are you??  
it's almost midnight

 **Donghyuck**  
i am.... with the boy from the railroad tracks 

**Jaemin**  
oh okay

 **Donghyuck**  
:D

 **Jaemin**  
:)

Donghyuck knows that Jaemin is upset about something. Probably about the fact that he had literally forgotten to tell him where he was, or maybe he had plans with Jaemin, maybe Donghyuck had agreed he would be home before a certain time, and now he's lying on his back by the railroad tracks again next to Mark, staring up at the stars, thirsty and confused, needy and giggling with the boy who has apparently chosen to spend his last birthday like this. 

"Do you think you can talk to someone?" Donghyuck tilts his head to look at Mark, who looks right back at him, a hint of hope, maybe something more as he blinks, waiting for an answer. "You know, something? About being able to fix the time on your wrist?" 

Mark blows out his mouth, sighing and humming, groaning before he picks up a rock and throws it up in the air. 

"Fuck!" Donghyuck grabs a hold of him before he rolls off to the side, taking advantage of his quicker speed. 

Mark widens his eyes at the fact that Donghyuck is on top of him, his body pressing up against him as he pants. 

"To be fair," Mark whispers as he tucks Donghyuck's hair behind his ear, hoping he's really not as angry as he looks. "I thought it was going to go forward and hit the tracks. I didn't think my throw was going to go straight up into the air and fall right back onto us." 

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. 

He's thinking too hard, his sight doubling as he looks down as Mark, his knee between Mark's thighs as he feels his hands numbing, the skin behind his knees stinging, the shooting pain up his spine worsening the longer he looks at Mark, the longer he breathes in the smell of Mark's neck. 

"You're thirsty." Mark whispers. 

His voice is different this time. He says it with a swallow, not a hard one, but one that may seem as though he is slightly scared, and maybe he should be, because he has a vampire hovering over him. 

Clearly, Mark has craned his neck for other vampires, not afraid to let himself be bitten. But, he isn't sure of Donghyuck's process, he doesn't know how harsh Donghyuck is, or who he even is, so of course he has every reason to be a tad bit scared. 

Donghyuck doesn't lie to him. 

He nods his head. 

"I am." 

Mark gives him a soft smile, tilting his neck and pulling on his shirt. 

"Mark," Donghyuck looks away, his stomach actually twisting as he looks at the skin, the cinnamon smell filling his head again. "Please, I am okay."

Donghyuck pulls himself away and just sits with his legs crossed next to Mark, rubbing his hands together. 

"If you aren't going to make it home without something to drink, then please, Donghyuck, help yourself." 

_Oh, I would never,_ Donghyuck thinks. 

Mark just holds his body with his arms and sets his chin on his arms and frowns at him, seeing how clearly upset Donghyuck is, how thirsty he must be, and how he is holding something back. 

"What's your story then? What's Donghyuck's special thing?" 

Donghyuck has to laugh at that. 

"You mean my curse?" 

The moonlight that creeps down onto Mark's cheekbones makes him glow so carefully, so dangerously, and Donghyuck can see the way that his throat is pulsating. It makes him suck in a sharp breath, telling him to just ignore it as Mark is waiting for an answer. 

"My body literally needs to be touched." 

"Oh, well that's gotta be nice, right?" 

Donghyuck clicks his tongue. 

"I guess so," he runs his hands over his knees, searching for some sort of relief from the numbness, all of the sounds around him becoming louder. "I just hate bothering people because I need to be held all the damn time, any time I need to feed, because I don't want to hurt anyone, and when I am out in public and the feeling hits, I need someone, I need a heart against my chest, so I can feel good for a few minutes, until the blurriness in my vision fades away, until the tingling in my hands goes away, or until I can feed somewhere."

Mark blinks at him. 

"Are you feeling that way right now?" Mark asks lightly.

Donghyuck nods his head, pursing his lips together. 

"What can I do to help?"

Donghyuck feels the pain worsening. 

He wants Mark, that's why the feeling grows worse, all over his fucking body. Everything is intensified, Mark is looking at him with concern in his eyes, his hands almost touching Donghyuck, acting like he's extremely concerned, and the poor vampire wants to scream out and ask him if he can lean up against his back and listen to his heartbeat for an hour or so, until he is able to relax. 

Oftentimes, Donghyuck can manage by gripping his own hand and pretending he has a pulse. 

He'll think of Jaemin. 

His smile, his pulse, the way Jaemin smells like fresh flowers as soon as he comes out of the shower, or the way Jaemin is such a stubborn brat when he refuses to eat food that is actually good for him and sticks to the pizza from the previous few days.

Or he'll think about someone he had met with recently. 

An old friend, someone like Yukhei, who makes Donghyuck feel as though he is absolutely soaking in apples. 

"You're breathing so hard right now," Mark interrupts his thoughts kindly. 

Donghyuck understands, and he chuckles as he unclasps his hands. Mark probably assumes the heavy breathing is going to lead to Donghyuck to flipping out all of a sudden and sinking his teeth deep into Mark's neck, although Donghyuck is sure Mark would love it. 

He's really not too sure how much Mark knows about vampires. 

Is his friend kind? 

Is he like Donghyuck? Does he depend on physical touch like he does?

"Donghyuck, dude... you look like you are about to pass out."

Well, that's better than him saying he looks like he is about to rip him to shreds. 

After a few moments of Donghyuck's heavy breathing, he calms himself down, connecting his eyes with Mark, who is looking at him, eyebrow cocked, which Donghyuck could assume, because that is the one thing that is always happening on Mark's face. 

"What are you thinking about?"

Donghyuck isn't sure why he wants to know what Mark thinks he is thinking about, but he's curious. He wants in his head so bad. 

Chenle is good at that. 

Chenle can stare at a human and know exactly what they are thinking about, and although he thinks it's a curse, Donghyuck really wishes he had that instead of his damn dependency on human touch, especially when humans are the ones he needs to bite into.

"What do you think I am thinking about?" He asks. 

Mark squints his eyes and scans over the vampire's face, moving to his shoulders, his body positioning, his lap, the way his hands are placed carefully on top of his thighs. 

"Me?" Mark asks. 

A chill runs down Donghyuck's spine. 

"I was actually thinking about this other guy," Donghyuck admits as he sucks on his tongue, hoping he can get the taste of Yukhei out of his mouth so he can focus on Mark, instead.

"Oh, well, that sucks." Mark leans closer. "You're thinking about someone else when I am right here?"

Donghyuck nearly growls. 

Now, what the fuck is Mark making him feel. 

"I'm kidding," Mark clanks his teeth together. "Do you need something from me to feel better, Donghyuck?"

His breathing is worsening as Mark scoots closer. 

By this time Donghyuck can hear his blood flowing through him, warm, carefully moving through his body. It's warm, much like Mark is. All of Mark is warm, and Donghyuck hates that about him, because he is so goddamn sweet and really fucking irresistable, and Donghyuck is dying to taste him, just a simple taste to know exactly what he is like on his tongue. 

Donghyuck has only been wrong once in his life. 

He can usually tell what people taste like before he actually tastes them, and it would be such a fucking pity if Mark were to not taste like the sweet smells he gives off. 

"Can I just have your hand? For a few moments?" Donghyuck swallows. 

Mark extends his palm toward the vampire, offering his skin, his fingers upward like he's trying to show off his veins, or something so Donghyuck can see the tightness of his skin. Donghyuck notices that he's doing it too, putting a lot of effort in it, because he latches on and intertwines their fingers, politely telling Mark to relax with a low chuckle. 

Mark obeys the order and swallows, observing the way Donghyuck puts Mark's hands to his mouth, his fingers so close to his lips. 

"If you're gonna bite, just let me know ahead of time so I can hold my breath or tense or—"

"—Mark, I am not gonna bite you," Donghyuck runs his tongue over Mark's thumb, not really caring that they have been all over the city tonight. "Just relax for me. You definitely should never tense when you're being bitten—"

"—Easy for you to say, but it's a little scary when a vampire tells you that he is going to put his teeth in your thighs, even though you're quite aroused by the thought of it, and he's telling you to relax so it doesn't hurt as much at first, but your heart is literally pounding and you are terrified but completely turned on by the sight of it, so..."

Donghyuck has Mark's thumb in his mouth, holding it between his tongue and the roof of his mouth so he can feel his pulse intensified, his fingers as interlocked as they can get. 

"Are you done telling me about when you had sex with a vampire?" 

Mark flushes. 

"I didn't have..." Mark doesn't finish his sentence.

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. 

"Let me focus here," he taps his fingers along Mark's wrist, trying to get as much blood to his hands as he can. 

Mark shuts up, scooting closer so he doesn't have to stretch as much. He likes being closer to Donghyuck, and despite the fact that he is kind of cold, he brings some warmth on the cool night. 

It smells like rain around them, and Donghyuck isn't sure if it's because of someone nearby, or if it's just from the lingering smell of the rain from earlier in the day, or the night, or whenever the hell the rain came down. 

He keeps his eyes closed as he feels the tingling in his body start to fade away. 

It's happening so quickly, so generously, and Donghyuck is almost surprised at the fact that Mark's skin, his heartbeat, and his blood is so warm that it is making Donghyuck feel himself again, all without him getting a taste of it. 

"Should I talk to you while you're doing this?" Mark whispers, setting a hand on Donghyuck's thigh for stability. 

Donghyuck feels his entire lower body react to the touch, though, even though he knows it was completely unintentional. 

"You can, Mark, that's fine. I just need to keep my eyes closed." 

"How come?" 

"Because, if I open them while I am thinking about how good you must taste, if I look at you while thinking about that, while feeling your heart and your blood flow like this, it is going to make me want to suck you dry." 

Mark giggles. 

"You look kind of hot like this," Mark admits, gasping when Donghyuck opens his eyes. "Donghyuck! Close them!" 

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, eyes flickering to Mark's lips again. 

He sets his hand on Donghyuck's chest. 

"Keep your distance, sharp teeth." 

-

They're walking toward Mark's apartment when the boy yawns, sighing as they stand right outside the building. 

A strong scent fills Donghyuck's head, and suddenly he touches Mark's shoulder and swallows hard, a short kind of cackle leaving his lips. 

"You live with your vampire friend?" Donghyuck asks him. 

"I didn't mention that?" Mark shrugs his shoulders innocently as he looks over at Donghyuck, leaning on him as he fixes his shoe, hopping as he mumbles the word, "Ow."

Donghyuck isn't sure which floor Mark lives on, but he stares at all of the windows, like he's waiting for the vampire to appear in the window, as if he's going to come up to it and look down at Donghyuck like he is the worst thing on the planet. 

"I think he's going to hate me," Donghyuck mutters, his arm coming around Mark's waist to help keep him standing straight as he still fumbles to fix his shoe. 

Mark stands up and takes a step back, sniffling as he takes a look at his arm. 

He's been doing it all night, too, checking it as if the time is moving quicker than he wants it too. 

"Why would you say that?" Mark pouts, yawning into his elbow as he shivers. "Jeno is so sweet."

Donghyuck doesn't have anything warm to give him, not even his own body warmth. Only the closeless in bed would give Mark the warmth that he needs right now, and there is no way that Donghyuck is going to offer it when there is another vampire in his apartment. 

"He's going to know you've been with me all night," Donghyuck shrugs as he puts his hands into his pockets. "Is he protective of you?" 

It takes a moment for Mark to think about it. 

It's almost like he knows the answer, he's just recalling the memories in his head, replaying them and making sure he is certain about what he is going to say before he says it. 

Finally, Mark nods his head. 

"He is." 

Donghyuck bites down on his lip. 

"Just tell him you ran into me at a bar, and I helped you with something, and we touched a few times." 

The way Mark is looking at him makes Donghyuck think he is upset, and Donghyuck hates it. It makes him feel like he's done something wrong, or makes him feel like he's going to need to apologize soon. It's like a whirlwind in his head, upsetting him for all the wrong reasons.

"I can tell him that we are friends, Donghyuck," Mark says. "He doesn't control me." 

Donghyuck begins to think he is overreacting. 

He nods. 

"Okay, sorry." 

A flickering of the streetlamp above his head and a sizzling sort of pop scares Donghyuck to the point where he hisses, and suddenly they are wrapped up in darkness, just the light of Mark's half smile keeping them safe. 

"What is wrong?" Mark says softly, stepping closer to him.

Donghyuck is thirsty. 

He's upset because he thinks Jaemin is probably upset with him, and now he's overthinking about his new friend's roommate and vampire best friend probably being jealous over the fact that he is hanging around with another vampire, and he doesn't want to bug Jaemin again to be fed, and he's tired of gnawing on necks that taste like the same damn bitter—

"I can't read your thoughts, sharp teeth."

Donghyuck looks at him, the muscles in his shoulders relaxing. 

"Is that my new name?" 

Mark shrugs, tiredly blinking as his eyebrows draw together, somewhat raised into a silly kind of expression.

He looks sweet like that, and Donghyuck doesn't think he really can resist this time, so he lifts his hand to run his thumb along Mark's eyebrows, helping undo the crease as he sighs. 

"I guess so," Mark answers. "Tell me what you're thinking about." 

"Why don't you ask instead?" Donghyuck teases him. 

He doesn't know if it's okay for him to be talking to Mark like this, to this boy he's managed to get this close to in such a short amount of time, but it feels right, it feels good, it loosens the muscles in his back and makes the knots in his stomach feel better. 

Mark rolls his eyes. 

"Would you mind telling me what you're thinking about? Since I cannot read your mind." 

This time Donghyuck leans against the railing next to the stairs that lead up to the main entrance to Mark's apartment, his eyes closing as he takes a deep breath, one that isn't deep enough for him to feel relaxed, but one that gives him enough time to think to himself. 

"I'm just thirsty." 

Mark throws his hands up. 

"After all of that," he scoffs. "I thought we were going for something deeper here." 

"Oh, I know you want something deeper, Mark." Donghyuck jokes with him. 

Mark steps forward and shoves him, presses his arm to Donghyuck's shoulder and watches the vampire stumble backward. 

"You are dying to be bitten, aren't you?" 

"By you," Mark decides to tease him back like it's his job. 

Donghyuck knows it's a joke, he does, really, but he can't help but feel the words further down his body. 

"He's gonna hear you." Donghyuck gestures up toward Mark's apartment, whichever one it may be. 

There's a look in Mark's eye that is captivating, hinting with something, and he clicks his tongue, making it seem all the more interesting. 

"Let him."

Donghyuck hates flirting.

He wants to cut past it and get right to the point already. 

"He won't care about us being friends, Donghyuck, don't worry, if that's what you are worrying about," Mark blinks at him, stepping forward to ruffle his hair.

"I am not worried about anything."

"Yes, you are." 

Donghyuck thinks Mark is cute. As fuck. 

"I should get home, I need to sleep before my body starts acting up." 

It's true. 

Donghyuck needs to tuck himself away in bed, and reach out to Kun, or to Chenle, or someone for some more blood bags that he can store in his apartment, because he needs to stop bugging Jaemin to always cuddle with him, especially when Jaemin needs to be doing other things. 

"Donghyuck," Mark grabs onto his wrist, easing up when Donghyuck fixes his eyes directly on the hold. "Can I ask you something?"

The vampire scrunches his nose up, especially when the cinnamon radiating from Mark's neck becomes warm, like a drink, something he is sipping on. All of a sudden, Donghyuck thinks about Mark like apple cider with a stick of cinnamon in it, and he almost smiles so wide. 

"Of course." 

"Can I see you again?" 

The question almost makes Donghyuck want to frown, or even cry. 

He's asking it like Donghyuck has a reputation to disappear on him, like he's someone who is known for letting people slip right out of their hands like putty, or like water, dripping right through. 

"Of course you can," Donghyuck tells him. "Did you think I was going to leave and never see you again?" 

Mark yawns again, his whole body feeling it as it shakes. He looks exhausted. 

It's somewhere past two in the morning, and his eyelids are heavy, shoulders slumping forward. 

"I dunno, a lot of people are drifting from me right now. That, or they are overly obsessed with the fact that I am dying in..." He looks to his wrist, "Six weeks and a day." 

Donghyuck doesn't like the way it sounds coming from his mouth, but he listens in. 

Donghyuck flips his hand upside down, palm facing the night sky as he pulls his middle finger inward, asking Mark to come into his arms for a hug. He is nervous as he asks for it, his throat closing slightly as he holds his breath, a fear developing as he thinks Mark may deny it, shaking his head as he brushes off the offer, or something. Or maybe Mark will just head inside. 

Instead, Mark walks forward and rests his chin on Donghyuck's shoulder, hugging him tight as he keeps himself there. 

The world around Donghyuck lights up as his breathing becomes uneven. 

Mark's neck is so close to him, and of course he would do anything to tilt his face and sink his teeth into him, but for some reason, Donghyuck is more desperate to tighten his arms around Mark and draw him into a hug, lifting him slightly off the ground. 

"Do you want to make a deal with me?" Mark whispers against Donghyuck's neck, making him near shiver. 

Donghyuck doesn't pull away from the hug, and instead he just runs his fingers up and down Mark's back, getting a feel for the way he fits right in his arms, the way Mark's body is so particularly gorgeous and built.

"What kind of deal, Mark?" He asks. 

Mark hums as he folds his fingers through Donghyuck's hair, from the bottom of his neck, moving upward as he tugs on the curls. It's like he knows that Donghyuck has a thing for it, because he's fiddling like a madman, like someone who is doing it to ask for something else. 

"I don't want to keep bugging my friends to go out with me all the time, because they are so overprotective. Jeno is constantly making sure that I am not in with the wrong crowd, Jungwoo is always too kind to me, making sure I have everything I need, and before you start saying that it's nice, which it is, it's just... it's overbearing," Mark sighs. "Everyone understands that I cannot buy any more time, there's no way I can live any longer, so I am just a ticking bomb, going to explode as soon as this runs out." 

"You aren't going to explode, Mark." 

"You get what I mean, though." 

Donghyuck does. He really does. He hates bugging Jaemin, when Jaemin has his own life, his own things going on. Of course, Jaemin drops his things and will come to Donghyuck's aid to help him when he needs him, and Donghyuck would do the absolute same, no doubt, but there's something that hurts him when Jaemin crawls up next to him, paper due in half an hour, when Donghyuck is shaking in bed, needing him. 

It can stir up arguments, sometimes to the point where Donghyuck has to storm out and feed on someone he doesn't want to. 

Jaemin will always cry when that happens, which makes Donghyuck feel worse. 

"I can be your," Mark sucks in a breath and pulls away from the hug, looking Donghyuck up and down. "Touch companion? Cuddle buddy? Whatever you wanna call it, when you are in need, when you're thirsty and when your cravings leave you needing a heart to press up against, only if you promise to hang out with me and give me an awesome last few weeks of my life." 

Donghyuck feels his heart cracking in his chest. 

The thought of Mark dying in front of him makes him want to be sick, really. 

He's nauseous, his head is spinning, and it's not just from the fact that the hug left him a little bit flustered. It's because he knows that he is going to get attached to Mark and his smile, Mark and his eyebrows, Minhyung and his damn heart. 

"I will gladly hang out with you, Mark," Donghyuck voices. "But, I don't want to give you that role to fill. It's already too much for Jaemin. It fucks with things. Relationships, jobs, school, it's not just like cuddling randomly, it's intense, sometimes I am not even me when I need to be held like that. It's like, I need that person to understand me, and my body, and be gentle, and patient with me." 

Mark bows his head. 

"We don't have to if you don't want me to, I was just suggesting—"

"—No, It's not that I don't want you to," Donghyuck reiterates. "I would love that. Mark, I don't even know your favorite color, and I already feel so—"

"—It's dark orange—"

"—Close—Huh?"

Mark flushes. 

"My favorite color is dark orange."

Donghyuck lifts half of his face into a smile, slowly but surely as he starts shaking his head at the way Mark is gently gnawing on his bottom lip, shrugging his shoulders. 

"I don't want to use you," Donghyuck whispers. 

He's serious as he says it. 

Using Mark for something like that would be an awful thing to do. 

The boy seems like the kindest soul, he has such a hard beating heart, Donghyuck knows it. It pumps blood so strongly, only palpitates every once in a while. He's silly, steps over the cracks in sidewalks, avoids them in case of bad luck, he tells jokes like someone who is trying to remember it as they go, giggling before they can even get the whole story out. 

"Oh please," Mark blinks at him. "I'm not in school, my family and I don't speak much anymore, and I only talk to my brother who lives on the other side of town, and I am most certainly not going to be getting into a relationship and falling in love in the next six weeks, Donghyuck. Plus, it's not using me if I want it too, right?"

Donghyuck takes a moment to stare at him. He stares generously too. He doesn't look too long at Mark's eyebrows, which is probably a first. He finds a few freckles along his jaw, which he thinks are beautiful. 

"I am a really big cuddler, Mark," Donghyuck shakes his head from side to side, his chest lighting up when he watches the smile increase on the boy's mouth. "So, you need to know that even when I am not needing your touch, I am gonna want it, regardless of the vampire senses inside of me wanting you. Donghyuck, just the guy who likes cuddling, is gonna want to cuddle, you got that?" 

Mark bites on his lip and nods his head, holding his hand out. 

"You gotta be ready for me calling you late at night telling you that I want to go get a piercing."

Donghyuck's mouth falls open as he gasps low. 

"No way," he shakes his head. "You want a piercing? Where?" 

Mark shrugs. 

"I just decided that a few seconds ago, but I want one, so you've gotta accompany me there, because I know Jeno won't, and now you're my death buddy, so, it's kind of your job," Mark tells him. 

Death buddy. Cuddle buddy. 

They shake on it. 

\- 

"—And then he just agreed," Donghyuck bites into his last bag, plopping onto the edge of Jaemin's bed, squinting his eyes toward the lamp that is bright next to his bed, the boy lying there flipping back and forth between his camera and his laptop, swallowing and nodding along to Donghyuck's words. 

He seems tense, and Donghyuck can tell, especially from his slowed heartbeat, especially from his blood vessels in his head, proving that he has a headache, possibly a developing migraine. 

It's fifteen minutes until 3 in the morning, and Jaemin looks almost as though he is scratching up the side of a wall that is keeping him from sleeping. 

"That's cool, Hyuck."

Donghyuck sucks on the bag, licking his lips as he cups underneath, swearing as it drips. He pulls himself off of Jaemin's bed before it stains the comforter, and shortly later does he licks up the palm of his hand, on the outside of the plastic until he is cleaning every drop up. 

"Are you upset with me for not texting you?" Donghyuck asks. 

He doesn't really need to be asking Jaemin this. He could just head off to his room, they could just solve their problems in the morning, or not even at all, because it's not too often that they stay mad at each other. 

Jaemin looks up and shakes his head, raising a suspicious eyebrow as he looks down at his comforter, like he's warning the messy eater not to fuck things up. 

"No," he mutters, clicking back between a few things on his laptop. 

There's more tension. Tension that Donghyuck hates. 

"Do you mind if I lay with you? I don't need anything, I just... wanna hang out." 

Jaemin looks up, half shutting his laptop as he offers his friend a gentle smile. 

"I would say yes, Donghyuck, you know that. But, you need to get some rest. I need to get some rest."

"Are you going to, though?"

Jaemin blows out through his nose, craning his neck back and letting it hit the headboard. He immediately whips it forward and apologizes for presenting his neck so suddenly, but Donghyuck shakes his head and promises his friend that everything is okay. He doesn't need to apologize for something like that. 

"I'll be up probably for another hour or so," he shrugs.

Donghyuck thinks that Jaemins wants to be alone, so he finds his way out a few minutes later, laying a kiss on Jaemin's head as he bids him goodnight. 

**Donghyuck**  
is it me?

 **Jaemin**  
renjun

 **Donghyuck**  
fuck  
what happened

 **Jaemin**  
would've said if i wanted to talk abt it h

 **Donghyuck**  
love u  
sleep well 

**Jaemin**  
mm you too 

Donghyuck doesn't sleep well that night. 

\- 

_5 weeks and 5 days_

Donghyuck finds himself sitting in front of Chenle, both of them cackling over the fact that Jisung isn't sure how to solve a specific math problem that seems to be the simplest thing on the planet. 

He's digging his nose into Chenle's shoulder, rubbing against his neck before he yanks his paper and pencil away, taking off to the other side of the room toward someone else in the cafe, someone from his class that happened to be studying there too.

"Ah, he really just walked away," Chenle rolls his eyes and looks back at Donghyuck. "Being in love with a human is so annoying. They just walk away from you when they're mad, but then they ask you to cuddle in bed later." 

Donghyuck shakes his head at his friend, setting his hand on Chenle's shoulder as he sighs annoyingly, taking a sip of the coffee he had ordered. 

He's not sure what had made him want to order the iced drink, but the effect of it on his body is making him want to bounce all over the damn walls. He's not even sure what is inside of it, but Chenle promised it would make him feel good, especially since he had just fed a few hours before. He promised the addition of coffee on top of blood was going to make him feel quite incredible. 

"I am pretty sure that is just how we all work, Chenle," Donghyuck tells him. 

"Then Jisung is just... different." 

Donghyuck observes the way Jisung looks so studious as he stands by his classmate, nodding his head as he adjusts his glasses, writing down some things he is being told to write. 

"Good different?" Donghyuck asks, even though he knows the answer. 

Chenle slumps in his chair. 

"He is the best thing in the world," Chenle stares at him. "Why is he leaning like that?" 

Donghyuck hits him on the shoulder. 

"You are so overprotective."

"He's my boyfriend. My clumsy human boyfriend, Donghyuck, I have to be protective, because he's going to knock his ankle against the—oh my fucking god."

Jisung knocks his ankle as he tries to return to their table, his face going red as he sits down, setting his paper down quickly as he hides his face in his hands. Chenle sets his hand down on Jisung's nape and squeezes there, sniffling, not even bothering to say anything to him. 

"Do me a favor, Donghyuck, don't fall in love with a human. They're just clumsy." 

Jisung stomps on Chenle's foot hard, making the vampire groan and pinch at Jisung's neck again, bending down to kiss right there, whispering sweet words at his ear, until Jisung tries to lift his shoulders to shove him off. 

Finally, he tilts his head and shows his smile. 

Donghyuck can't help but smile back at them, feeling overwhelmed in their happiness, feeling as though he's interrupting their relationship as he watches them. 

He takes Chenle's words to heart though. 

Falling in love with a human? Donghyuck hadn't ever really thought about that. 

At the same time, Donghyuck feels a vibrating in his pocket, probably Jaemin reminding him to grab more juice on his way home, since Donghyuck had forgotten the last time when Jaemin was dying to have a cup of his favorite juice. 

**Mark**  
i decided i want a tongue piercing  
ah wait  
lip maybe?  
how long do u think it'll take to heal  
cuz i don't want to be in pain for the rest of my life lol

 **Donghyuck**  
tongue piercing would be hot on you  
but apparently it takes 6-8 weeks to heal 

**Mark**  
fuck me  
maybe not 

**Donghyuck**  
up to u

 **Mark**  
make the decision for me tonight?  
i kinda am thinking about my eyebrow?  
would you want to get one too?

 **Donghyuck**  
Oh hell no. 

**Mark**  
donghyuuuuck, cmon!

 **Donghyuck**  
did you say tonight?

 **Mark**  
yeah, you busy?

 **Donghyuck**  
not anymore.

-

"This place smells like old and dry blood," Donghyuck scrunches up his nose. "It's like a mix of rust and wood, and just awfulness, if that's even a word. It makes me feel kind of sick, and I can't tell if that's a vampire thing, or if this place just smells bad. Does it smell bad in here?" 

Donghyuck doesn't hear a response from him very quickly, so he tilts his head and parts his lips in surprise as he looks at the boy.

"I am terrified," Mark whispers as he scoots closer to Donghyuck as they wait on the leather benches. 

Donghyuck cocks his head to the side to make sure he is hearing correctly, and he blinks when he makes eye contact with the boy who is chewing so hard on his lip that he is nearly drawing blood. It's obvious that he is nervous, because his heart is pounding aggressively in his chest, but Donghyuck just assumed it was a simple set of nerves... he didn't think Mark was as terrified as he looks with sweat dripping down his temples, beading at his forehead. 

"Oh god, Mark, you're sweating, and you're pale," Donghyuck scoots away and sets a knee between their bodies, putting his hands on Mark's cheeks, sucking in a sharp breath as Mark looks at him desperately. "You don't have to do this."

Mark shakes his head and blindly reaches for Donghyuck's hand. 

"I want to," he whispers. "I have always wanted to, so I have to." 

"You don't have to, Mark," Donghyuck makes him turn his face until he is looking away from all of the sounds in the room that are probably making him a lot more scared than he should be. "Keep looking at me for a few minutes, yeah?" 

Mark closes his eyes as he relaxes, opening them again when he realizes that he is supposed to be looking at Donghyuck. 

"I could do that for a while," he says. "You're easy to look at, sharp teeth." 

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. 

"My teeth aren't even out right now." 

"I know, you're just really pretty." 

Donghyuck grips Mark's hand and intertwines their fingers, rubbing over the back of Mark's hand in a calming sort of way, hoping it can ease his mind, his mind that always seems to be thinking a little too hard lately. 

"So, is flirting in our deal?" Donghyuck asks him. "Cause I could do that for a while. I'm pretty good at it." 

_Except for the fact that Donghyuck kind of hates it._

Mark leans his head on Donghyuck's shoulder. 

"Stop trying to distract me, I am still really nervous, really fucking nervous." 

Donghyuck is surprised that Mark caught on to the fact that he was trying to talk to him casually in order to get his mind off the needle that is about to stick through his skin. Mark is holding onto his arm, his fingernails digging lightly into Donghyuck's skin, imprinting him, making Donghyuck ache just slightly. 

"What else is there to do, Mark?" Donghyuck asks honestly. 

"Tell me you'll get one, too."

"Fuck no!"

\- 

The piercing isn't even that bad as it cuts through Donghyuck's eyebrow. 

He curls his toes as Mark comes close by his face, whispers as he touches his cheeks, being scolded by the man who had just finished the job, telling Mark not to touch at it. Regardless of what he is being told, Mark strokes over Donghyuck's cheekbone. 

"Are you okay?" Mark is still pale, and Donghyuck reaches out to make sure he is alright, even though he is the one who just got his eyebrow pierced. 

"How's it look?" Donghyuck asks. 

Mark steps back, his eyes widening as he blinks. 

"Hot," he swallows. "As fuck."

Donghyuck stares at him, seeing something deeper down in Mark's eyes, something that reads need, that is still covered up by the fear in his eyes. 

"It's interesting because you're wearing such a soft sweater, and you look so gentle, and the eyebrow piercing makes you... pop. Like it screams, 'damn, I am hot,'" Mark adds. 

Donghyuck thinks he might be blushing, again.

"Your turn," he helps Mark up onto the table.

-

_5 weeks and 2 days_

Donghyuck leans up against Jaemin, mouth against his wrist as tears pour down his cheeks, choking on air as Jaemin keeps pushing his skin to Donghyuck. 

"It's okay, Hyuck," he whispers, petting the back of his head as he whispers at him, trying to keep his friend calm, his heart aching as he feels Donghyuck crumbling in his arms. "Just drink."

They're leaning against Jaemin's headboard at 4 in the morning as Donghyuck is shaking, unbelievably thirsty, and so goddamn stubborn that he won't feed from Jaemin's neck, his wrist, or any part of his body. Chenle also told him that he had run out of his supply of blood bags and wouldn't be getting them for another three days, so Donghyuck figured that he would feel a little uneasy at some point randomly. 

"I can't," Donghyuck pushes Jaemin's wrist away from his mouth. 

Donghyuck regrets even crawling into Jaemin's bed to bother him in the first place. So, with a cry, a lot of pain, blurry vision, and a sad goodbye, Donghyuck pulls the covers off of his body and leaves Jaemin's bed. 

He leaves the apartment. 

-

**Donghyuck**  
is my cuddle buddy awake right now

 **Mark**  
i actually am

 **Donghyuck**  
why?

 **Mark**  
shouldn't u be saying something like "awesome!" 

**Donghyuck**  
awesome!  
why r u up

 **Mark**  
i needed some water  
wbu

 **Donghyuck**  
uh huh...  
need you

 **Mark**  
come over?

 **Donghyuck**  
jeno?

 **Mark**  
asleep

Donghyuck sniffles and wipes his sleeve across his nose as he drags his feet across the streets, loving the silence, but hating the way all of the noise is so amplified in his ears that it reminds him of how unbelievably thirsty he is. 

Anything that makes sound reminds him of how bad he wants to feed, how bad he wants to sink his teeth in something and listen to the way it'll cower for him, his eyes rolling back into his head as his body feels more and more powerful. 

The night sky is beautiful around him, and he takes his time making it to Mark's, trying to do anything to calm himself down so then the tear stains on his cheeks aren't so visible by the time he arrives. Or maybe it'll be so dark in Mark's room that he won't even notice.

Mark texts him the details, and is sure to leave the door unlocked, even though he is waiting right behind it. 

He pulls Donghyuck into a hug as soon as he shuts and locks it, which makes Donghyuck suck in a sharp breath, his body reacting instantly, gripping onto the sweatshirt that Mark is wrapped in. 

He's so fucking warm. Donghyuck instantly feels Mark's heart thumping in his chest, and suddenly he is swamped in the smell of cinnamon. It's all over him, deep in the back of his hoodie, in his neck, all over his hair. He's drowning in the smell. 

"You're not okay," Mark rubs at the back of his head, petting at his hair softly, trying to bring as much safety to the vampire as he can offer. 

Donghyuck doesn't want to break down. 

There's no way he'll let his walls come crumbling in front of Mark, not like this, not at four, almost five in the morning when his mouth is aching, when he is desperate to claw off his shirt and feel Mark just a little bit closer against his body. 

He needs it, but Donghyuck isn't sure if he'll forgive himself if he gets that intimate with Mark right now. 

"I'm not," Donghyuck hums, the words drying on his tongue as soon as he says them. 

It sounds unfamiliar as soon as he speaks, his words so fragile as they come out of his mouth. 

Mark unlatches himself from Donghyuck's body, intertwining their fingers as he leads him to his room, where Donghyuck is soon stepping into one of the most suffocating things he has ever smelled in his entire fucking life. 

He sucks in a breath, trying to act cool as he squeezes on Mark's hand, humming as he pulls the boy against his body, wrapping his arms around him from behind. 

There's no way to tell what Mark is thinking because Chenle isn't here, and Chenle can't dig into his mind to catch those thoughts and reiterate the fact that Mark isn't scared right now. Donghyuck really wishes he could just have that ability right now so he wouldn't have to ask Mark if he is okay, especially when Mark is reaching behind him and trying to pull Donghyuck closer to him, like he is liking it. 

"It's okay, Donghyuck," Mark tells him, turning himself around, swallowing hard as his body scrapes against Donghyuck's front. "Let's lie down."

Donghyuck fingertips are aching so bad. 

He wants Mark. 

Mark that is silly, Mark that giggles over the most random things, Mark that chases lizards by the bushes, Mark that throws rocks at the oncoming trains for no goddamn reason. 

Getting into bed isn't nearly as hard as Donghyuck thinks it'll be. 

Everytime they lift up the sheets to shift underneath them, is when Donghyuck has to hiss, a new kind of warm vanilla mixed with cinnamon scent filling his head.

"You can do whatever you need to do, Donghyuck," Mark tells him. "I can do whatever you need me to." 

Donghyuck appreciates his words. 

"Can I hold you? Really close?" 

Mark is red in the cheeks, he is very warm, and Donghyuck can tell the blood is rushing vivaciously in his face. His lip piercing looks perfect next to his warm cheeks, and Donghyuck wants to reach out and touch him even more.

Mark nods his head, his head thumping in his chest a little quicker. 

So, Donghyuck moves himself a little closer, nudging his knee between Mark's legs, watching the way his pink lips part, a soft gasp blurting out of his mouth, dangerously low. Mark keeps his eyes closed though, probably with a fear of embarrassment of catching Donghyuck staring at him. And that is true, because Donghyuck is looking right at his face, wanting to reach out and just thumb over his lips, maybe push his thumb between them.

"Is this okay?" Donghyuck asks him as he hikes his leg up between Mark's thighs. 

Mark pushes his tongue into his cheek and draws his eyebrows in, almost looking like he's in pain or distraught or something. 

It takes another second before Donghyuck begins to pull his leg back down, but Mark grabs onto the back of his thigh, his warm fingers tracing so carefully along Donghyuck's leg, helping him pull it back up, higher between Mark's thighs. 

Donghyuck realizes that their foreheads are pressed up against each other as soon as he feels a sting at the end of his eyebrow from his own piercing.

Mark nods his head, fingers curling at the back of Donghyuck's hair, twisting gingerly, making Donghyuck bite down on his own tongue, feeling the poking of his teeth into the soft piece of flesh. 

It's when Mark opens his eyes that he realizes for the first time that he wants to kiss Mark Lee. 

"Minhyung," Donghyuck whispers low, dangerously low from his throat as he opens his eyes. 

Mark gasps low again, his eyes squinting even though they are already closed.

His heart speeds up, and Donghyuck smirks at that, swallowing hard as he waits for Mark to respond, to open his eyes, or something. He just grips harder onto the back of Donghyuck's neck and blinks gently until his eyes are barely open. 

"Hm?"

Donghyuck doesn't ever think he's felt so good in bed, lying next to anyone ever. Mark is the epitome of warmth, every good feeling, bringing Donghyuck back to his ground level, making him giggle and feel safe all at once. 

It's almost scary how good Mark makes him feel. 

"Can I put my lips on your wrist?" 

Mark nods eagerly, moving his hand away from Donghyuck's neck so he can present it to the vampire. 

So, Donghyuck pushes his lips to Mark's wrist, feeling for the pulse, trying his best not to press his lips together so he can avoid the sounds of a kiss. 

Although, he is dying to just kiss Mark's wrist, to maybe get his reaction to the gentle gesture, something so kind, careful, so domestic. 

Mark is like a drug. 

He's in Donghyuck's veins, already so addicting to him. 

"What else can I do to help?" Mark hums low, his voice a little shaky, probably from the fact that he has a pair of lips with sharp teeth right at the surface of his soft wrist. 

Donghyuck is focusing on the way Mark's mouth is so close to his ear, Mark's breath hot against him, helping him calm down. 

"Touch me like you like me," Donghyuck tells him. 

Without a doubt, Mark runs his hand down Donghyuck's body, right between his thighs, where Donghyuck jerks his body forward with a gasp, nearly scraping his teeth against the boy's wrist. 

"Holy fuck, Mark, not like that," he giggles, but Mark is pulled back, heart beating so much faster, face redder than any tomato, any apple that Donghyuck has ever come across. 

Mark stares at him, sitting up against the headboard, dropping his face into his hands as he groans, shoulders shaking as he chuckles. 

It feels like Donghyuck is on a high, like he has just sucked out his favorite kind of blood, too much of it where he feels so full to the point where he is buzzing on a high. His chest is in overdrive as he looks at Mark, beaten red and struggling to sit up correctly as he rocks back and forth. 

Donghyuck tilts up and pulls him into his arms. 

"I am so fucking embarassed," Mark mutters, wrapping his arms around Donghyuck's waist as he hides in his chest, like he's building his own home right there. 

Donghyuck doesn't mind, and he welcomes Mark, stroking over his hair. 

"Don't be," he tells him. "That felt good, I promise." 

Mark slaps his chest, looking up at him, lips slightly redder than before, maybe from the fact that he has been biting on them, chewing on them as he's been hiding his face. 

"I feel a lot better, Mark, thank you. I can head out in a minute—"

"—Woah, what?" 

Donghyuck looks at him, cocking his head to the side, waiting for him to say something else. 

"Stay."

-

"It smells like a fucking needy vampire in here," Jeno sits at the kitchen counter as Donghyuck walks past him, kicking his foot into his shoe, not really caring that the back isn't really on in the correct way. 

Donghyuck is taking a sip of the water before he is getting ready to leave Mark's apartment, giving Jeno such a dirty look over the glass. 

"Can you be nice?" Mark pinches Jeno's ear hard. 

Jeno grabs onto Mark by his hips, pulling him so he can observe his neck a little closer, humming as he stares, letting Mark squirm out of his grip. 

Mark looks cute this morning, dressed in just a long t-shirt, down to his knees almost, his time the only other thing glowing on his body. 

"They're fading," Jeno hums. "Should I bite you again?" 

Donghyuck slams his glass down, swallowing hard when he realizes that he could have broken it. He apologizes in a hushed tone, tightening the strings of his hoodie. 

"It was just a joke, dude, calm down." Jeno sips on his mug, pushing his chair back as he stifles a laugh, taking off back to his room. 

As soon as he's out of sight, Donghyuck grips the counter, pushing his foot further into his shoe, breathing heavily as he squeezes his eyes shut. 

Mark is by his side in an instant, tugging on his sleeve. 

"I'm sorry," Donghyuck tells him. "I didn't mean to react like that." 

"Look at me," Mark hums, trying to spin Donghyuck on his hips. 

Donghyuck obeys and feels his shoulders relaxing the moment he looks at the human in front of him. 

"Jeno isn't gonna touch me unless I want him to," Mark tells him. 

"Mark, it's okay, I'm not like—I don't—" 

"You joke with your friend like that, don't you?"

"Of course," Donghyuck answers. "All the time."

Mark leans up, holding his hands on both of Donghyuck's shoulders to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. 

Donghyuck would like to think that he is blushing, again. 

He blinks and then gives half of a grin to Mark, who stands there like he is shy. 

"What was that for?" 

"To ease your mind." 

"Do it again."

Mark does. 

-

"So you're telling me he touched your dick and kissed your cheek in the same few hours?" Jaemin peers through his camera before he rushes back to his computer, swearing as he loses his place in his thoughts. "Okay, Just tell me everything right now so I can get back to work." 

Donghyuck chuckles as he plops onto Jaemin's bed. 

"It was nice, Jaemin," he huffs out air. "It felt really nice—"

"—Having your dick touched?"

"Would you shut the fuck up?!" Donghyuck hisses at him. 

Jaemin ends up closing his laptop, lying next to Donghyuck.

"Okay, bud, what do you mean?"

"Just," Donghyuck takes a deep breath as he thinks about the night, as he thinks about his breakdown in front of Jaemin and how he could hardly feel his body working. "He made me feel so alive, as silly as that sounds." 

Jaemin turns his head, gripping onto Donghyuck's face, begging for the boy to look at him, to direct his attention out of his thoughts so he can look right into Jaemin's eyes, so he can disappear from everything else in the world to just look at him. 

"You are just as alive as everyone else, do you hear me?" Jaemin demands. 

Donghyuck smiles, body feeling so comfortable when Jaemin presses a kiss to his forehead. 

\- 

_4 weeks and 4 days_

**Mark**  
smoking weed

 **Donghyuck**  
you've never done that?

 **Mark**  
hey... watch it sharp teeth

 **Donghyuck**  
just asking 

**Mark**  
no.. never really wanted to 

**Donghyuck**  
well, you know you don't Have to

 **Mark**  
Want to, hyuckieboy

 **Donghyuck**  
today?

 **Mark**  
you busy?

 **Donghyuck**  
i can always make time for you

 **Mark**  
ngl that gave me butterflies 

Donghyuck pockets his phone as he orders himself a drink in line, feeling a deep stress rise in his throat when he sees Dejun to the left of him. 

"What are you doing here?" Donghyuck asks without giving him his full attention. 

The vampire to his side grumbles low, licking his lips as he raises his eyebrow. He's dressed in a black turtleneck that is tucked into black ripped jeans, chains around his neck, his silver hair messily done on his head to the point where it looks good. 

Dejun is an incredibly attractive vampire, but Donghyuck hates him more than he hates anything in the world. He hates his smirk, and the way his eyes are so addicting, luring in the sweetest people before he sinks his teeth into them. 

Although, Donghyuck is sure that a bite from Dejun is probably really fucking nice. 

"Just getting myself a drink, Donghyuck," he hums, cracking his neck to the side. "You don't like frozen drinks, so why are you in line?"

Donghyuck doesn't like the way he's questioning him like this, so casually in the middle of a busy line in the middle of the streets of downtown. 

"I wouldn't imagine that you would like frozen drinks when you can't keep your mouth to yourself, always craving hot blood between your tongue and your teeth," Donghyuck sniffs as he orders his drink, waiting for his own cup of raspberry lemonade.

Dejun cackles and runs his teeth over his lip. 

"I have my craving, Donghyuck, back off." 

The thing is, Donghyuck doesn't want to back off. He wants to step forward and provoke the boy, he wants to make him a little angry, press his buttons until Dejun gets mad, until he cocks his head to the side and makes him so angry that it ends up in a fight. 

But, Donghyuck thinks about Mark. 

He thinks about the fact that he is buying a frozen raspberry lemonade for Mark. He thinks about how Mark was excited for it, thrilled that he is going to sip the thing down while he smokes for the first time, with a protective Donghyuck by his side, keeping him as safe as he can be. 

So, Donghyuck grabs a hold of the drink and nods his head to the boy, the vampire who he would gladly rip apart if he could, and he heads around the corner, until he feels the tenseness in his shoulders releasing. 

Mark is sitting on the steps outside of his apartment, glowing underneath the sun as he is dressed in jeans, with a sleeveless shirt making the curves of his shoulders look incredible. 

Taking a moment to gulp, Donghyuck nearly squeezes the drink in his hand. 

Greeting each other with some sort of kiss has just become a routine by now. 

Today's kiss Donghyuck presses to Mark's forehead as he hands him the drink, hearing such a cheerful kind of sound when he pulls away, Mark's cheeks hollowing as he sucks on the straw, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as he pulls away, shoving it toward Donghyuck. 

"Try it!" He widens his eyes. "Donghyuck, It's literally incredible." 

Donghyuck smirks at Mark's face, loving the way he appears to be more than happy, all because of the cold drink in the palm of his hands. 

"Frozen things feel funny in my mouth," Donghyuck scrunches his nose up, licking his lips. 

If he's being honest, the thought of a frozen raspberry lemonade sounds terrific to him, and he'd absolutely love to taste it, but Donghyuck is used to warm blood, whether sweet or bitter, or whatever the hell he is drinking. 

"Try it for me?" Mark's eyes are wide, he's pouting, pushing his bottom lip out as he grips the collar of Donghyuck's shirt. 

_For him?_ Donghyuck snags the drink away from the boy in an instant, wrapping his lips around it and taking a sip. 

He ends up loving it. 

\- 

Mark is stoned. 

Stoned Mark is giggly, clingy, and very needy, holding onto Donghyuck's hips as they stumble through the main doors of Donghyuck's apartment. 

"I am so sleepy, did you know?" Mark bumps his chin against Donghyuck's back, groaning as he mutters something about his head hurting. 

"I know, baby, we are almost back, okay?"

"Oh," Mark tightens his arms around Donghyuck from behind as he snuggles into him, humming and adding a tiny squeal on top of it as he presses the insides of his knees to the outside of Donghyuck's knees, really squeezing him. 

Donghyuck feels his stomach swirling as he turns around, lifting Mark's chin up, staring deep into his eyes that are rimmed red, staring at the way he is blinking profusely, trying to grin, constantly shrugging his shoulders as his heart moves between beating fast and slowing down. 

There's a part of Donghyuck that wishes he had the ability to just slow down Mark's heart, so he could help calm any sort of stress or anxiety that he is feeling from being high for the first time, but he can't do anything to help. All he can do is hold Mark until he falls asleep as warm as he can be. 

"What?" Donghyuck brushes his hair back, Mark's neck craning back, presenting his throat in such a sweet way as he smiles. 

"I almost like hearing baby as much as I like hearing Minhyung," Mark opens his eyes and gives his best set of puppy dog eyes at the vampire in front of him. 

Donghyuck shakes his head at Mark, walking him backward as soon as they reach Donghyuck's floor — and soon he finds himself in his own apartment, trying to lock it as Mark hangs onto him, eyes widening as he looks around, toeing off his shoes by the door. 

"It's beautiful in here."

Donghyuck isn't looking at anything except for Mark, though.

He walks toward him, lifting him by the hips as Mark giggles, wrapping his legs around Donghyuck's waist as the boy carries him to his bedroom, setting him right on his bed, laughing as he cackles into his neck. 

It doesn't seem like anything out of the blue.

Donghyuck looks at Mark, who sits up, leaning on his elbows next to Mark in bed, eyeing him as he raises his eyebrows. 

"Are you thirsty, sharp teeth?" Mark hums.

"I am, Minhyung."

Mark's eyes close slowly before he opens them again, leaning forward to take a closer look at the way Donghyuck's fangs are not too sharp, but clear enough to prove that Donghyuck is in fact thirsty. 

"Do I make you thirsty more often than usual?" Mark places a lazy hand on the back of Donghyuck's neck, fiddling with his hair, one of the best feelings to the vampire. 

It brings chills to Donghyuck's body, if he could even get any colder than he already is. He's also breathing a little unsteadily as he watches the way Mark is looking at him, swallowing hard. 

Donghyuck licks his lips, running his teeth over the tip of his teeth, feeling them sharpening, feeling an ache somewhere in his body, everywhere. 

He nods his head. 

"Why is that?" Mark asks. "Is it cause you're attracted to me?"

Donghyuck doesn't know why he is asking questions if he is just going to answer them right away. 

"Yes." 

Mark hums as he rolls his tongue over his silver lip piercing, a smile spreading like a wildfire across his face. 

"Well good," he hums, hooking both hands over Donghyuck's neck, scooting closer to him. "Because, I am also very attracted to you." 

Mark falls asleep in Donghyuck's arms. 

\- 

_3 weeks and 6 days_

"Do not... call Mark, Jaemin, he's probably tired, we were out all day yesterday," Donghyuck groans as he clutches his chest, gasping for air. "Hand me another." 

Donghyuck holds his hand out toward the fridge on the other side of the living room, he's asking for another blood bag, hoping it'll decrease any sort of ill feeling he has deep inside of his chest, all of the pain he's feeling inside of his legs, the aching of his bones. 

He hates it. 

Vampires hardly get sick, that's one of the perks, something that Donghyuck loves to rub into Jaemin's face when Jaemin is sniffling and sending Donghyuck out of the house for cough medicine. 

Of course, he'll curl up next to him and do everything he can to help Jaemin feel better, maybe even bite into his skin and lick over the wound to see if it'll cure any sickness in his body. Not very often will that work, but Donghyuck will do everything he can. 

This time, Jaemin is whimpering as he walks around the apartment in his pajamas, bite marks in his neck as he hands Donghyuck another bag of blood, hoping that it'll help him feel better. 

They're guessing he's thirsty, just overwhelmed, his body not responding well to... something. 

"Donghyuck," Jaemin whispers as he watches Donghyuck tear into the bag, sucking as much as the blood as he can, shivering as he tosses it into the trash can beside the couch as soon as he recognizes that it isn't bringing him any sort of relief. "Hyuck, please." 

There's aching in his bones, so deep that Donghyuck can't even get comfortable. 

It's burning in his joints, and he clenches his teeth as he shifts, looking at Jaemin with desperate eyes. 

"Don't," Donghyuck croaks. 

"I'm gonna call him." 

-

Mark arrives as quickly as he can, but Donghyuck is fast asleep when he climbs into bed with him. 

Jaemin had insisted that Donghyuck move from the couch to his own bed, since the living room was now just covered in blood bags and smelled like it, too, and Jaemin did not want to make their guest want to turn around and leave, especially if he was someone who needed to stay. 

There's a stirring in Donghyuck's head as he swallows the dry lump in his throat. 

"—And he's just ill, I think? I doubt he can get you sick, so don't be afraid to get close to him... he's finally just fallen asleep, but he's just in so much pain right now that I figured maybe being close to you might help him?" 

Donghyuck wants to open his eyes, but they feel too heavy, and he's fucking freezing, so he stays still and hopes that Mark wrapping his arms around him tighter will warm him up.

Even his voice is soothing. 

"I'm glad you called, Jaemin. I was about to text him, so I probably would've been worried, anyway if he didn't reply.."

Donghyuck has to see him. 

He's eager to know what Mark is wearing, he's eager to know how pretty his skin looks today, or what his piercing looks like, or if he's wearing a beanie, or if his hair is messy, or if he just looks all natural. 

With a lot of effort, Donghyuck opens his eyes and realizes that he is propped up on Mark's chest, cheek squishing near his heart. He closes his eyes again so he can focus on the beating, just to see if his body is feeling any better just by the sound of the wonderful part of him. 

He still aches. 

Donghyuck huffs and opens his eyes again, and when he does, Jaemin is no longer in the room. 

"You sick, sharp teeth?" 

Donghyuck pouts and snuggles further into Mark's chest. He lifts his hand and begins to trace over his chest, drawing random shapes, writing out his name in a bunch of different fonts before he even bothers answering. 

"Mhm," he hums. "Think so." 

Mark pushes all of the hair on Donghyuck's forehead back, leaning down so he can kiss the cold skin. 

It makes Donghyuck raise his eyebrows, tilting up so he can get a good look at the boy in his bed. He giggles. 

"What was that for?"

"That was our hello kiss, we do it every time, don't we?"

Donghyuck interlocks his fingers with Mark's, snuggling closer as he snickers. 

"We should hang out more often then," he tells Mark.

"You want another kiss?" 

Donghyuck nods shyly, not really sure of what is taking over his body. 

It's the sickness, whatever it must be, it's controlling the hell out of him and making him so weak for the way Mark is holding him like this, for the way he is threading his fingers so generously through Donghyuck's hair, making him feel as though he's floating. 

Mark bends down and presses his lips to the skin next to Donghyuck's nose, making the boy shiver again, making him hum in satisfaction, like he's never felt something as good as the way Mark's lips feel against his face like this. 

They spend some time in silence, Mark rubbing over Donghyuck's shoulder, his hair, just hoping he starts to feel better as he goes in and out of sleep. 

All of a sudden, he lets out a sharp gasp, one that makes Donghyuck so alert, one that makes his shoulders tense up. 

"Do you wanna take a warm bath?" Mark asks him. "I can run you one!"

_Oh, Donghyuck hates baths with a passion._

But, he can tell Mark is excited about it because his heart has sped up and it's so loud in Donghyuck's ears, his blood warm, cheeks even heating up. 

"I would love to take a bath, Mark," Donghyuck whispers as he sits up. 

_I fucking hate baths, but I will take one because you are excited to set it up._

"Okay, stay comfortable, I will get everything ready."

-

_3 weeks and 2 days_

Donghyuck recovers well after a long trip to see Ten, who convinces Donghyuck that he was just really sick. Donghyuck, of course, tells him that he never gets sick, and that it might just be his dependency getting out of hand, but Ten gives him a pat on the back, an overly long sigh, and promises the young vampire that he is, "just sick." 

He mentions the bruise that had randomly appeared on his skin, which Ten had to record in Donghyuck notes as something unusual, making Donghyuck cross his arms and stick out his tongue because, "I told you something is up." 

Ten promised Donghyuck that he would look into it and get back to him as soon as he had done some helpful research that would at least tell Donghyuck why his body is being a little funny to him lately. 

"I can make the one with the sauce you don't like?" Donghyuck sets his hands on the counter as he looks at Jaemin over in the living room. 

Jaemin frantically picks his clothes up from the floor, rolling his eyes as he flips his roommate off. 

"Aw, c'mon, Jaemin, it's just Renjun," Donghyuck says in a kind voice as he stirs the pasta, trying to ease some of the nerves inside of Jaemin's head. 

Nothing seems as though it is going to help Jaemin. Nothing at all. 

"I'm inviting my ex boyfriend over because we are trying to make this work again, slowly, by fucking each other and eating pasta with my roommate and his new crush," Jaemin furrows his brow. "I am allowed to be a little bit nervous, Donghyuck." 

Donghyuck sucks on his tongue. 

He feels Mark before he sees him, the heartbeat thumping so hard from down the hall, Donghyuck assumes. He must be nervous for dinner, which makes Donghyuck equally as nervous.

The doorbell rings a moment later, and Jaemin neary tramples over the couch to get to his room. 

"It's just Mark, dude," Donghyuck turns the stove on low as he sets the spoon down, walking over to the door, opening it with a wide smile on his face. 

Mark stands there, dressed in a red turtleneck, two linked chains around his neck, his brunette hair messy on his head, black jeans on his waist. There's a tiny bit of glitter, or something shimmery on the corner of his eyes, and Donghyuck thinks he looks incredible. 

He smells like his typical cinnamon self, but it's somewhat hidden by the smell of a stronger perfume around his neck. 

There's a gift bag in his hands, two of them actually, and a dessert, something that might actually almost look sweeter than the smile he is presenting on his face. 

"What's this?" Donghyuck takes the cake from Mark's hands, head cocking to the side as he feels his stomach almost sickening at the thought of Mark spending his currency when he barely has any left. 

Mark swallows and tries to push his way into the apartment. 

"Just a gift for Jaemin," he says as he removes his shoes. "And for you, and that is a cake, obviously. Where can I set these down?" 

Donghyuck stays still at the door, trying to stay calm as he lets his body tense up, eyes squinting at Mark. 

He follows the boy back into the kitchen, telling him just to set the gifts on the kitchen table. 

Donghyuck returns to the boiling pasta, keeping his eyes stuck on it as he stirs, feeling nervous as Mark comes up beside him, wrapping his arm around Donghyuck's waist, pushing his cheek into his shoulder. 

"Look," Mark says in a low voice, a gentle tone, like he's trying to prove to Donghyuck that he is okay. "I didn't spend that much. Less than a day's worth, Donghyuck." 

Donghyuck hardly moves his head as he diverts his eyes to look at the glowing numbers on Mark's arm, seeing that he is about to hit 2 weeks and 6 days. It makes him feel sick to his stomach. 

"Can I please get my hello kiss?" Mark pouts. 

Donghyuck doesn't waste any time in turning his head, cupping Mark's face to place a kiss on the corner of his mouth, the sides of their lips touching so casually. 

He pulls away and looks back at the pasta. 

"Can you grab the dish underneath the stove for me? The glass one?" Donghyuck asks, his hand leaving Mark's waist. 

Mark stands there, his fingers lingering on his lips, like he's just realized that Donghyuck nearly just kissed him right on the mouth. 

-

Dinner runs smoothly, from what Donghyuck can tell, or from what he can see. 

They celebrate Jaemin's birthday, days and days later. It makes sense though, because Donghyuck wanted to give him a celebration for his placing on his film project in his school as well as a little birthday celebration, all at the same time, with guests like Renjun and Mark at their sides. 

They're accompanied by alcohol, mainly being consumed by Renjun and Jaemin, who are half leaning into each other's laps when they decide to head off into Jaemin's room for the night, leaving Mark and Donghyuck to take a few more bites of the cake before Donghyuck asks for Mark's hand. 

"You are so eager for something, Mark Lee," Donghyuck says as Mark slowly places his hand in Donghyuck's, fingers dipping through his as he gives Donghyuck a raised eyebrow, making Donghyuck clench his jaw, loving the way he is seeing his favorite part of Mark in such a new way. 

"And if I am?" Mark pushes his front up against Donghyuck, making the vampire grab at Mark's hips, slamming him up against him as he tenses his own throat. 

"I'll give it to you," Donghyuck tells him, eyes boring right into Mark's. "Just tell me." 

Mark takes his hand and places it flat on Donghyuck's chest, running it over the place where his beating heart would be, scratching carefully, moving his hand until he's at the familiar spot of Donghyuck's nape. 

"You," Mark stares at Donghyuck's lips. "Just want you." 

Donghyuck smirks at him. 

"I figured," he says, making Mark lean closer as he pushes him further back toward his bedroom, almost stepping on his toes every once in a while, fingers touching at Donghyuck's belt loops to keep himself from tripping. 

"Are you trying to take them off, or what?" Donghyuck teases Mark. 

He grabs onto the boy, holding tight at his hips as he moves both of them as quickly as possible to Donghyuck's bedroom. 

He has Mark up against the wall, knee between his legs as he shuts the door, hand hard on the handle so it doesn't make as much noise as he is trying to close it. 

Donghyuck thinks it's cute how Mark is panting against the wall, fingers gripping on Donghyuck like he hasn't ever wanted something so bad. 

As soon as Donghyuck has the door completely closed, he looks at Mark with a sharp eye, and Mark's knees go weak to the point where Donghyuck has to grind his hips against his to hold him up. Mark exerts a low groan that lasts a few long seconds, sending a jolt to Donghyuck's core, making it hit harder than anything he has ever felt before. 

Mark smiles and lets his head slide against the wall for a moment as he looks at Donghyuck — with pure desperation. 

"Please," Mark whispers, hooking his arms around Donghyuck's neck, pulling him closer, tilting his neck to the side, like he is asking for him to at least stuff his face there. 

Donghyuck mouths against Mark's neck, kissing at his jugular, not bothering to take a moment before he begins to suck there, pulling Mark off the wall so he can wrap his arms around the lowest part of Mark's waist, sucking so hard that he can taste the blood that he is pulling to the surface — he can literally taste the hickey that he is forming on Mark's skin. 

Mark is trembling as he drops his hands to Donghyuck's waist, undoing his belt of his jeans as he yanks it off, making the damn thing come around to whip him on the wrist, causing a whine to roll out of his mouth. 

"Ouch," Mark rubs at his wrist as he looks down. 

Taking Mark's hands and rubbing them between his own, Donghyuck leans down to kiss at them.

He notices that the button of his jeans are also undone, and Mark doesn't want his hands messed with anymore because he is now tugging on Donghyuck's shirt, like he wants it over the boy's head already. Donghyuck obeys, lifting it up and over his head as he watches Mark throw it to the other side of the room. 

He turns Mark around and walks him toward the bed, keeping a hand on the lowest part of his back as he leans over him, laying him down, tongue rolling over his jugular as he licks up toward Mark's ear, watching the way he shivers at the touch. 

"Fuck," Mark grips hard at Donghyuck's hair, his eyes flashing dark as he realizes that Mark is pulling, tugging, gripping harshly at his hair. 

Donghyuck sucks at a new spot, feeling the blood rush to the area he sucks at. 

"Minhyung," he whispers. 

Mark clamps his legs together, probably thankful for the fact that Donghyuck is leaning up next to him instead of laying between his thighs. 

"Hm?" 

"Can you stay still for me?" Donghyuck asks him, the vibrations of his mouth making Mark's eyes roll back slightly. 

"Not really," he laughs. 

Donghyuck kisses his neck gently, using his lips to tug on Mark's earlobe. 

"Can you try?" He asks. "It'll feel good, I promise."

Mark nods. _He doesn't wanna pass that up._

In the next moment Mark takes his hands and throws them back to the headboard, his knuckles hitting it so aggressively. 

Donghyuck thinks back to what Chenle had said. 

Don't fall in love with humans, _they're just clumsy._

Maybe he's right, because Mark has managed to be so turned on that he has whipped himself with a belt, and slammed his knuckles into the headboard. 

But, maybe he has every right to, because Donghyuck is gently scraping his teeth along the warmest part of his neck, feeling Mark grunting underneath him, panting and needily arching his hips up toward the vampire. 

He's staying still — save for his hips, but Donghyuck scraping his teeth along Mark's neck feels good, so good that he has to push his head away until their eyes meet. 

"Donghyuck," he whispers to him, swallowing hard. "Kiss me please."

Donghyuck does. 

-

2 weeks and 3 days

"I am the nervous one now it seems," Donghyuck holds Mark's hand as they sit on the bench outside of the office, the eerie silence making Donghyuck want to rip his ears out. 

It's so silent that he is trying to hear more than he should be hearing, especially as he listens in to the other conversations that Ten is having. 

"Look at me and don't think about it," Mark taps on Donghyuck's thigh, hoping he will just direct his attention and not really focus on the fact that he is going to head back for testing in just a few moments. 

Donghyuck appreciates that Mark is trying to get him out of his head, but Donghyuck really doesn't think that anything can help him right now, because the thought of vampire testing is really fucking scary, and the thought of Mark having to stay back in the waiting room makes Donghyuck want to pout.

"I am looking at you, and I am thinking about it," he mutters, rubbing his thumb over Mark's hand. 

"That is not what we are supposed to be doing, Donghyuck." 

Donghyuck closes his eyes as he takes a deep breath. 

"What are you wanting to do after? Did you still want to go swimming on that rooftop like you mentioned last week?" Donghyuck brings up all of a sudden, settling when he hears Mark's heart skip in his chest, blood rushing over his body. 

"Oh god, yes." 

-

Mark's arms are on Donghyuck's waist as he squeals, being dropped down into the water slowly. 

"Cold, Donghyuck!" He whines, hitting right at the corner of Donghyuck's shoulder and his neck. "It's really fucking cold!" 

"Ah, c'mon baby, it's not that bad." 

Donghyuck lowers him completely to the point where Mark's chest is under the water, his face lit up by the illuminating blue lights underneath the pool. 

It's closed, but Donghyuck was able to sneak them up, his hand twisted in Mark's as they ride up the elevator, Donghyuck with a fake badge that promises he is one of the many workers of the IT building. Mark stayed at his side, somewhat behind him, squeezing so tight that Donghyuck would say it would make him lose blood flow if he were still a human. 

Mark hops up, closer to Donghyuck as he drops a warm kiss on his lips, pulling his face toward his own as he leans back into the water, gasping at the temperature hitting his dry back. 

"Oh fuck," Mark says against Donghyuck's mouth, allowing Donghyuck to lick right inside, right up against the back of his teeth. 

Mark doesn't mind. 

He just kisses right back with the same amount of power, giggling as Donghyuck makes a few sincere sounds on the tip of his tongue. 

"You aren't worried about me, are you?" Donghyuck asks Mark in the middle of their kiss as he backs him up against the pool wall. 

Looking at Mark underneath the lights makes Donghyuck realize how beautiful he is, so gorgeously built, his eyes gleaming under such glowing lights. He gives him another soft kiss just for the hell of it. 

Mark clicks his tongue, tracing his forefinger along Donghyuck's collarbone. 

"Of course I am," he says. "Aren't you worried about me?" 

"That's different, Mark," Donghyuck says in a low voice. "You're going to be gone in a little over two weeks." 

Mark pushes Donghyuck back, swimming across the pool, dunking his head underneath so he can disappear, probably slipping away from reality for a few good seconds. And Donghyuck understands that, even he himself wants to slip away for a bit, especially with Mark. Hell, he wants to save Mark, and let him live a happy life.

Mark deserves that. 

"Come back here," Donghyuck whines softly. 

"Come get me, sharp teeth," Mark throws his hands up playfully from the other side of the pool. 

Donghyuck wants Chenle to get out of his head. 

_Don't fall in love with a human._

Donghyuck thinks it might be too late for that. 

-

_1 week and 6 days_

"Ten says it might just be a deficiency in something," Donghyuck shrugs as he jabs a straw into a blood bag.

"Did he say exactly what it could be?" Jaemin asks as he slumps on the couch. 

Jaemin isn't really busy at all. He's got a few weeks off before he has to head back for his second semester of film school. His classes are a lot different than the universities nearby, starting and ending at much different times. He's just finished his, and now doesn't know what to do with himself other than lounging around and browsing the newest sort of equipment he wants to purchase once he gathers enough money from his new job. 

There's notebooks full of ideas he has for when he returns to his classes, notebooks that Donghyuck has also somehow been able to contribute too, which he is happy to say, since Jaemin is very overprotective of his work. 

"No," Donghyuck sucks on his bag, feeling a little uneasy at the lack of direct human blood he has received. "But, I can be patient, it's just frustrating."

Jaemin nods his head as he stares at the television. 

"Renjun?" Donghyuck swallows as he asks. 

"Not worth it," Jaemin stares forward. 

Donghyuck feels his shoulders slump. 

He feels for Jaemin, knowing that his friend has feelings that must not be working out correctly in whatever kind of way that he is trying to make it work. Donghyuck knows it's probably not Renjun who is making things bad, it's a problem arising from both of them, and it's just unable to be resolved. Donghyuck knows how it goes in these types of situations. 

"I'm sorry, Jaemin," he says honestly. 

Jaemin gives a shrug of his shoulders, lightening up as he looks to his best friend. 

"How's Mark?" He clicks his tongue, pausing the television to give the boy his full attention, trying to prove that he is completely involved in their conversation. 

Donghyuck pauses to think about Mark. 

Mark's lips. Mark's piercing on his lip. The way his nose scrunches up, or the way his body shakes violently as he yawns, laughter coming off his mouth almost every single time. He thinks about the way Mark holds him so softly, the way Mark whispers against his ear and even drops a few ginger kisses that Donghyuck would die to have every second of the day. Mark is beautiful. He lights up any dark day, and is the warm blanket that covers Donghyuck when he is fearful of the smallest things like when there was a roach crawling by his dresser. 

"Mark's good," Donghyuck pulls his bottom lip between his teeth. "I really like him, Jaemin."

Jaemin raises an eyebrow as he sits up. 

"You do?"

Donghyuck nods his head, swallowing hard. 

"I am completely fucked."

-

_1 week 3 days_

Mark cries into Donghyuck's arms as Jeno sits across from them, both of the vampires in the room full of so much tension that they feel as though they might explode. 

"That is fucking ridiculous, Jeno," Donghyuck shouts at him. 

Jeno stands to his feet and fiddles with a necklace hanging right between his collarbones, shining so bright that it is near distracting to Donghyuck. 

"You don't seem to be coming up with any ideas, Donghyuck, and for someone who Mark cares heavily about, that's a real fucking disappointment—"

"—You can shut the fuck up before I rip that necklace off your throat and watch you crumble to the ground." 

Jeno cackles at him, his hands lifting to scratch at his neck before he touches his necklace to make sure it's still sitting securely on his skin. 

"Donghyuck," Mark warns him in a low tone, sniffling as he extends his arm, hoping that Donghyuck won't stand to his feet and follow after Jeno. "He's sensitive about that, don't be mean, c'mon." 

Donghyuck looks up at Jeno, shaking his head from side to side as he looks over at Mark, nodding in understanding, voicing an apology at Jeno. 

"Turning Mark would be a very scary thing to do," Donghyuck starts and parts his lips when Mark grips onto his hand. "He isn't supposed to be someone like us Jeno, you really want to put him through that?"

"You want him to die?" 

Donghyuck jumps off of the couch, already walking right toward Jeno with his teeth gritted, his body in defense mode. The only thing on his mind is suddenly protecting Mark, and himself, and Jeno speaking like a total asshole is making Donghyuck want to react in ways that are probably unreasonable. 

"Jeno!" Mark stands up, putting his hands on Jeno's chest as he looks deep into his eyes. "You need to back up, you need to go back into your room or something." 

Jeno stares at Donghyuck as he flares his nostrils. 

"He clearly doesn't care about keeping you alive, Mark, or else he would have suggested—"

Donghyuck shoves Jeno up against the wall, the frames on the walls shaking behind them as he tilts Jeno's chin up, making sure that the boy sees him. 

It's a surprise that Mark isn't saying anything from behind them, just scoffing in a disappointing kind of way, leaning against the kitchen counter as he watches the two of them interacting with each other in an inappropriate way. 

"Shut your mouth," Donghyuck whispers to him.

Jeno swallows as he glares at Donghyuck. 

"I'm ready to talk when you two are done acting like this," Mark clears his throat as he walks to the other side of the kitchen, reaching up into the cabinet to grab himself a glass, filling it with water as his eyes narrow in at them. 

Donghyuck is the first one to pull away, sitting down at the barstool of the island, softening his eyes at the hard glare Mark is giving him. Jeno sits one chair away from Donghyuck, looking at Mark with the same apologetic look. 

"Don't you think that it would be my decision if I want to be turned or not?" Mark looks to Donghyuck.

With a heavy feeling in his chest, Donghyuck decides to take a walk. 

He can't hear anymore. 

-

**Mark**  
if ur coming back make sure u are quiet bc jeno has fallen asleep on the couch

 **Donghyuck**  
okay

 **Mark**  
are u

 **Donghyuck**  
course. i've been spending every night with you for the past few weeks  
i want to be with you tonight as well 

**Mark**  
well you kind of walked out, how was i supposed to know

 **Donghyuck**  
be there in 15

Donghyuck is thirsty. 

He's angry, he is upset, and there is a sharp ache that is crawling up his spine. There's tingling that is taking place in his fingertips, even in the center of his palms as he pushes the door to Mark's apartment open. 

The dimmed lights are a blessing, so soft and warm, and Donghyuck thinks that he should thank Mark for turning them all off because he knows that the bright ones would give him a headache if he were to have walked into them. 

Jeno is fast asleep on the couch, and Donghyuck doesn't waste any time in holding his middle finger toward the sleeping vampire. 

Mark is waiting for him by his bedroom door with his eyebrow raised — that damn eyebrow.

It's a chuckle out of Donghyuck's mouth that makes Mark smile, shaking his head as he warns him to be nice again. 

"I'm nice," Donghyuck tells him as he shuts the bedroom door behind him, changing into something warm as he looks toward Mark across the room. "He just pissed me off tonight."

Mark shakes his head, sitting on the end of the bed. 

Donghyuck comes up to him, wrapping his arms around Mark's neck as he kisses the side of his face, waiting for Mark until he turns his cheek, until their lips meet gently, until Donghyuck can hum in satisfaction. 

"I'm sorry for leaving like that." 

Mark kisses him again.

"Don't leave me," Mark whispers. "You're not allowed to leave me. That's not in the contract. Only I am allowed to leave you, in a little over a week." 

Donghyuck doesn't think it's funny. In fact, he feels his stomach knotting up at the thought of not being able to hold Mark in the way he is doing right now. 

The bed creaks under their bodies as Mark shifts, slumping his shoulders as he looks at Donghyuck with a soft smile. 

"Are you thirsty?" Mark whispers. 

Donghyuck has to close his eyes when he answers him, nodding slowly. 

Reaching his wrist out to the spot underneath Donghyuck's nose, Mark kisses his shoulder. 

"Baby," Mark mumbles carefully. "Please."

Donghyuck smells him, the cinnamon so sweet, the vanilla tingling on the tip of his tongue it seems like. The pulse on Mark's wrist is throbbing and Donghyuck holds it, pushing his lips to it as he presses a kiss there, pressing his tongue flat onto it. 

A low whimper releases from Mark's mouth as he scoots closer to the vampire, gripping at his thigh, squeezing tight, making Donghyuck nearly growl at Mark's wrist. 

"I trust you," Mark tells him as he pets over Donghyuck's hair. "I do." 

Donghyuck knows that Mark does. 

The boy has been begging to be bitten for weeks now, not even showing his skin to other vampires, even though he is the most generous person around. Mark is one of the sweetest souls, and would literally do anything for Donghyuck, and knowing that the vampire cannot get to a blood supply for another few days makes Mark want to offer himself — especially since his feelings for Donghyuck are so strong. Donghyuck never wants to use him like this, but Mark knows that Donghyuck can't drink anywhere else, not for a little while — and he trusts him.

Donghyuck cups his cheek and kisses him strongly. 

"It might hurt for a second, but I promise it'll feel good as soon as I get to the spot I need to get to, okay?" 

Mark cups Donghyuck's cheeks and rubs his nose up against him, puckering his lips so he can kiss him gently. 

"I know how it works, silly," he remarks. "I'm ready when you are." 

He needs a moment. Donghyuck needs a second to look into the shimmer of Mark's eyes, to hold him in his arms and kiss him so softly, until Mark pulls away and kisses Donghyuck's chin, encouraging him 

There's a long moment before Donghyuck whispers to him, licking at his wrist before he sinks his teeth in, keeping his eyes closed as he hears Mark's voice in his ears. 

"Good, Donghyuck," he praises him, making Donghyuck's head begin to spin as he pets over his hair, holding back a strangled kind of whine, all before he lets it out, tossing his head back. "That's good, baby." 

Donghyuck has never tasted anything so good in his entire life. 

He was right. 

Mark is like vanilla. He's sweet, almost too sweet where Donghyuck feels like he'll have to take a break every few moments to suck in breaths, to maybe taste something bitter to cut the sweetness. But, he's lucky that Mark also has the cinnamon taste lacing through his blood, because it's right on the tip of Donghyuck's tongue, pushing through his body, making his muscles relax, making his eyesight so much clearer. It's like he's in Heaven, sitting on the clouds there, swarmed by the sweetest sort of flowers, maybe even in a land of warm honeysuckles, because there is a tiny sort of honey that he can taste. 

God, Mark is so sweet. 

Donghyuck feels the pit of his stomach warming up. 

He's incredibly turned on. 

He pulls away and runs his tongue over the wound, healing it as he looks at Mark, who is panting so quickly, swallowing hard as he pulls his neck back to Donghyuck. He uses his thumb to run it across the boy's lips, giggling as his cheeks stay hot. 

"Good boy," Donghyuck tells him.

Donghyuck wants him. So fucking bad. 

His body is aching to touch Mark, who is in just a pair of grey sweatpants, his eyes looking at his wrist in awe. His eyes slowly move back to Donghyuck as he gets up on his knees, Donghyuck following his positioning as they pull their foreheads together, mouths so close. 

"Kissing me right now isn't gonna taste as good as you just did," Donghyuck admits with a soft laugh. 

Mark noses at Donghyuck's jaw, kissing right underneath it, pressing a few loud kisses to his neck, holding at the back of his head so he can kiss stronger. 

"I don't care," Mark says. "I am so goddamn turned on, and if you don't kiss and touch me right now, I will have to do it myself, and I will be grumpy because I want you to do it for me." 

Donghyuck kisses him hard, pushing Mark down against the bed as he moans right into Mark's mouth. He pushes Mark's legs apart, putting his thigh right between them, instantly feeling that the boy more than needs to be touched.

Mark's heart is pounding in his chest and Donghyuck feels it so loud in his ears like it's the only thing he knows. And maybe it is, because it's definitely the only thing he wants to hear. 

Their bodies are rolling together, mouths moving in rhythms that are too dangerous for their own good. 

Donghyuck doesn't see it coming when Mark flips them over, pushing the vampire into the bed, lifting his shirt as he starts kissing down his abdomen, making Donghyuck suck in a heavy and drawn out breath. 

"Fuck Minhyung," Donghyuck beathes out the moment Mark attaches his lips to his waistline, to the delicate skin near his hips, to the area that makes Donghyuck want to grip the back of Mark's head and hold him tight as he bucks his hips upward toward Mark's mouth, Mark's mouth that is warm, Mark's mouth that is _his._

"Can I kiss your thighs?" Mark asks diligently as he sucks a hickey into Donghyuck's hip bone, sucks multiple when Donghyuck doesn't give him an answer straight away. 

He nods his head, already kicking off his pants by the time Mark is undoing them for him. Mark giggles too, making him all the more sensitive. 

Air hits his exposed thighs as he lies there, legs parted as Mark lies between them, fingertips grazing so carefully on the skin, making Donghyuck jerk up everytime he pushes a little harder. 

"You're so sensitive," Mark bends down to kiss the skin, helping Donghyuck hook his knee over his shoulder as Mark presses his mouth to Donghyuck's inner thigh this time, tongue rolling over his skin as he bites down a little. 

Donghyuck grips Mark's hair, tugging, pulling until Mark voices out a high pitched whine, hiding it in against Donghyuck's thigh. 

"You are making me want to fuck you so bad, Mark," Donghyuck admits at he looks down at Mark. 

Seeing him from between his legs like this is such a dirty sight, but Donghyuck swallows, clearly loving it, and Mark grins, proud of himself as he presses a soft kiss to Donghyuck's thigh. 

"What's stopping you?" 

_Nothing. Nothing is stopping him._

-

_6 days_

Mark's mood is down when he returns from visiting his brother, who mentions something about a medical procedure to give Mark the ability to live longer. Mark only says a few words before he tucks into Donghyuck's side, kissing his shoulder and lifting the blanket up over his body. 

"I think you'll like this movie, Mark, have you seen it?" Jisung gestures to the screen as the title comes up. 

The boy in Donghyuck's arms stares straight ahead, shaking his head from side to side as he leans his cheek on Donghyuck's shoulder. 

He looks at him, realizing he hadn't even received his greeting kiss like he had every single day for the past few weeks. Donghyuck can tell something is up with him, so he holds him by the chin and kisses him softly, until there is a genuine smile on the boy's face. 

Chenle and Jisung are wrapped up with each other on the opposite side of the couch, cuddling as they mumble sweet words into one another's ears. 

It's cute of course, but Donghyuck can tell that Mark is worried about something, something that is making his head hurt, so he can't really focus on anything other than the boy in his arms.

Donghyuck holds him closer, readjusting their positioning as he tucks his chin in the crevasse of Mark's neck. 

"You okay?" He draws out the vowel in the word, kissing his skin so softly. "You are thinking so hard."

Mark nods his head. 

"Six days, you know?" He blindly reaches for Donghyuck's hand, twirling their fingers together underneath the blanket. 

"I know."

-

Later that night, when Jisung and Mark are fast asleep in Donghyuck's bed, Donghyuck sits on the fire escape with Chenle, under the breeze of the city, swarmed by the sound of a few sirens, a lot of random car horns, and some bass from the nearby clubs. 

It's a pretty view, so pretty that Donghyuck can't even look down without feeling a little dizzy because of the drop. 

"I didn't follow your orders," Donghyuck swallows the lump in his throat. 

Chenle cocks his head.

He's probably thinking it has to do with the blood bags that Chenle is dropping by on a regular basis, or some vampire thing. But instead, Donghyuck is reaching out for his friend's hand, chewing on his own lip as he trembles, beginning to cry so slowly that it's almost painful. 

"You were joking about Jisung, I think?" His voice croaks. "You said not to fall in love with a human, because humans are clumsy, but Chenle that is exactly what I did." 

Chenle holds Donghyuck tight. 

-

_4 days_

They argue. Loud. 

Jeno steps in and actually has the audacity to put his hands on Donghyuck, telling him that he should really give Mark some space, because it's been rough for him the past few hours, trying to make up his mind, trying to process and conceal some ideas that he is thinking about. 

Donghyuck doesn't like the way another vampire has his hands on him, especially in the kind of way Jeno does, kind and gentle. 

He'd prefer if Jeno were to aggressively push him up against a wall, telling him to 'shut the fuck up,' or 'fuck off.'

But instead, Jeno is all of a sudden consoling him, rubbing a hand at Donghuyck's back as they both watch Mark angrily put his shoes on, turning around as he searches for his phone, grunting under his breath as he can't find it. 

Donghyuck hopes, there's a tiny piece inside of him that hopes that Mark will turn around and give him a little hug, maybe a kiss goodbye before he leaves the apartment, especially because he's panting so hard, hurling himself toward the door, beginning to sob as he swings it open, slamming it shut behind him. 

"The idea of the procedure is scary to him," Jeno tells Donghyuck.

Donghyuck nods his head. 

_Well, of course it is._

"I understand that," Donghyuck slouches on the end of the couch, looking up at Jeno with a strange look in his eye. "But, why is he running out like that, instead of talking? He usually doesn't do things like that."

Jeno chuckles. 

"Because I offered to do the transfusion." 

Donghyuck blinks as he lets his mouth drop open. 

Jeno? Participating in the procedure that'll possibly save Mark and help him live longer? Donghyuck almost wants to laugh, maybe even cry at the thought of it. Yeah, he thinks he wants to cry. 

There's only one thing that can keep Mark alive, only one that they have found — one that is so expensive that Mark's brother Jaehyun said he would pay for it. Mark cried for an hour when he returned from his house, because there was no way he was going to let his brother do such a thing for him, especially when it wasn't even Jaehyun's body that the transfusion was going to be happening to. 

Donghyuck thinks that the overload of Jaehyun presenting his wallet and Jeno presenting himself, as a vampire needed on the other side of the procedure, had made Mark so bottled up that he stormed out of the apartment. 

It's a lengthy process, and a very delicate one, and the thought of losing his best friend over it probably built up a lot of emotion inside of Mark's already stressed body. 

All that needs to be done is taking the last bit of blood that sits in a very fragile part of a vampire's heart, and transfusing it into Mark's body. Summed up, the doctor's would call it, "living as a vampire without turning into one." Mark's wrist will read all zeros, he will appear as a mortal, but still be immortal. Seems simple, as Jaehyun hummed into his brother's hair as he hugs him, but the process is so dangerous for the vampire, and with very little success rate, the government and facilities hardly approve them. 

There's not too much for Donghyuck to think about, because his head is cloudy over losing the boy that he has managed to fall in love with, but he knew it from the start, and it wouldn't be okay if he were to complain now. 

Regardless, he still is going to accidentally lean against Jeno's shoulder a few minutes later as he cries. 

"I don't want to lose him, Jeno," he whispers. "I love him."

Jeno sets his hand on Donghyuck's thigh. 

"I do too."

-

Mark doesn't come home for a few hours, not even when the sun turns itself in exchange for the beautiful moon, the moon that Donghyuck knows Mark adores. 

Donghyuck ends up pacing back and forth in the kitchen as Jeno sits at the island, his hands in his hair, gripping hard as he rubs at his temples. He directs his hands to his necklace soon, pinching it between his fingers as he whispers to it, almost like he's trying to speak to his best friend, trying to reach out to him. 

"Why the hell won't he answer his phone?" Donghyuck grunts.

"Because he's upset, Donghyuck."

Well, Donghyuck _hates that._

He wants to leave, wants to go look for him, squint his eyes through the night as he whispers Mark's name, peering through each and every bar, every crevasse of the buildings he passes, looking at every bench just to see if Mark is sitting there. 

In fact, Donghyuck doesn't waste his time in the apartment, and he definitely doesn't listen to the way Jeno warns him to be careful, or to not bother Mark when he clearly wanted space. 

Space?

Mark doesn't even have any goddamn _time._

\- 

_3 days and 23 hours_

It takes him a while to look for Mark, but he finds him by the railroad tracks, throwing rocks off of it as he leans up against the rusted railings. 

He looks so different this time. 

Mark stands there, his back slightly arched, sniffling as he's dressed in a warm hoodie, his hair tucked into a beanie instead of being messy and out to play like Donghyuck is used to seeing it. 

One thing is the same... Mark is beautiful. 

He always has been beautiful. 

When he's giggling next to Donghyuck when they're making fun of the way Jaemin draws his check marks backwards, or when he's underneath him, eyes rolling into the back of his head, or when he's sobbing into his shoulder, or when he's pressing kisses into Donghyuck's jaw in the shower, lifting his hands into the vampire's hair to help him wash it — Mark has always been beautiful. 

That has never changed. 

Donghyuck feels sick to his stomach when he thinks about Mark not even being able to stand right here at his favorite railroad tracks, staring down at them as he throws rocks, hitting the train every once and awhile. 

He hopes he'll hear Mark's voice in his head all the time. He really fucking hopes he'll never forget what it sounds like. 

A chill runs down his spine when he realizes that he had never even taken a video of Mark, let alone a damn photo of the boy. 

"You came?" Mark cuts him out of his thoughts. 

Donghyuck nods his head as he stands next to him. 

He doesn't even wrap his arms around the boy. 

Sure, he thinks about it, but there's nothing inside him that tells him to do it, especially because Mark is probably still quite uneasy. 

"Course," Donghyuck pushes up against Mark, kissing the side of the boy's head. 

He blinks, furrowing his brow when he realizes that his idea of not kissing or touching Mark had just flown over his head. 

"Are you thinking about it?" Donghyuck bends down to pick up a rock, throwing it as hard as he can, grunting hard as it flies out of his hand, hitting the tracks far from them to the point where it echoes so loud. 

Mark looks at him with his mouth parted open, shaking his head, his eyes glowing as they look down at Donghuyck's lips. 

"I can't believe your first throw was that good, and that far," Mark tells him as he slyly puts his arm around Donghyuck's waist, leaning up to kiss his jaw. "You're a natural, sharp teeth. You should come here more often."

Donghyuck twists him around and pulls Mark tighter up against his body, so he can feel his heart, beating a lot slower than usual. 

It's not as refreshing as it usually is, but Donghyuck loves his heart. He loves Mark.

"Yes," Mark whispers. "I am thinking about it." 

Donghyuck breathes out a sigh of relief as he closes his eyes, hoping that there is a chance that he can keep Mark alive for longer than the next three days. 

-

_2 days_

Mark grips onto Jeno hard when he receives the news. 

"Well, what the _fuck_ does that mean?" He spits out, not even paying attention to the way Jeno is trying to calm him down by lacing his fingers together with his. 

The doctors are nodding their heads, Ten in there, clipboard in hand as he squints his eyes at the papers. There's too many people standing in the room, trying to ease the worry in Mark's head, in Jeno's head, because even presenting himself as a pretty strong vampire, the poor guy is terrified, and even Donghyuck has hugged him a few times, telling him that he is doing a good thing for his best friend. Jeno just shoved him off and told him he didn't need any words from him. 

"It means that Jeno can't do the transfusion," one of the doctors tells him. "We have volunteers of course, but none of them match up to the exact type we need for Mark."

"Exact type?" Jeno stumbles over his words at first. "What kind of exact type? Like a blood type?" 

Ten clears his throat as he steps forward.

"Not exactly, but in a way. It's like a blood type, yes, I guess that's the easiest way to compare it, but Mark and Jeno don't match, and none of our volunteers here do, the only person who matches with him is—" Ten's eyes flicker toward Donghyuck who is staring at him as he waits for an answer. "Is... Donghyuck. Because of his deficiency, and Mark's rarity in his blood, it's the only way Mark is going to be able to have the procedure done this quickly." 

Mark nearly passes out. 

"Fuck no," Mark spits out, untangling his hand from Donghyuck as he stands up. 

Donghyuck feels his body aching all over. 

It starts with a chill in his toes this time, and he wonders if he's just thirsty because he hasn't fed in almost twenty-four hours, he hasn't slept either, and he's aching from the fact that him and Mark have been staying up, kissing, their bodies too busy to even think about sleep. 

"Mark," Donghyuck tries to grab on again, but he pulls away. 

"We should give them a moment," Ten tells the others in the room. "We can't even start the procedure until we set everything up for the particular body we are going to be doing the transfusion for, so it won't be until tomorrow anyway, so you do not have that long to talk and decide—"

"—Don't bother, I won't let him do it—"

"—Give us a minute, please." 

The door shuts and Donghyuck leans up against it, looking at how small Mark looks in the hospital gown. 

He hops down from the table, stripping himself from it as he pulls Donghyuck's sweater over his body, his jeans back up his legs. He's been wearing Donghyuck's clothes almost everyday recently, soaking himself in the sweaters, the softest kinds, telling Donghyuck that it makes him feel safest. 

Donghyuck thinks that Mark is going to shout at him, maybe spit some angry words about how he is ridiculous for even thinking about participating in the procedure. 

But instead, Mark steps forward and wraps his arms tight around Donghyuck, making him bounce against the door, a breath of air huffing out of his mouth. 

"Oh, baby," Donghyuck holds him tight. "Hold on, your pants, Minhyung." 

Mark looks down and notices that his jeans are unbuttoned still, since he was too eager to just give Donghyuck a hug. Donghyuck giggles and presses his lips to Mark's head as he fingers with the button and the zipper, tucking a little bit of the sweater like he knows Mark loves. 

"If I am going to be gone, I don't want you to be gone, too," Mark pulls Donghyuck away from the door. "I love you, Donghyuck. I told you that I wasn't gonna fall in love with someone in six weeks and I fucking did that, and I need you here to take care of Jaehyun, and Jeno, and you only met met Jungwoo once, but him too, and you need to stay to take care of Chenle, and Jisung, and Jaemin, and you need to annoy Dejun if he comes around, again." 

Donghyuck cups Mark's cheeks and kisses him hard. 

"I love you, Mark," Donghyuck kisses him softly. "We did good. You helped me like you said you would, and I just so happened to fall in love with every goddamn piece of your beautiful and lovely beating heart. I gave you a hell of a last few weeks, didn't I?" 

Mark nods painfully. 

"You really fucking did, Donghyuck. It's been incredible. You showed me what it's like to live on the edge and enjoy every second of it, and you showed me what it's like to have fun, and how to play nice, and you kept me safe, and helped me feel as good as possible, especially in bed because you fuck—"

"—Baby, baby... They probably can hear you," Donghyuck hushes him with a kiss, laughing into the boy's mouth only a second later when Mark draws him in closer. 

"You're just the best thing I could have asked for, Donghyuck, and I don't want you to not experience life because of me," he whispers. 

"I don't really want to experience life _without you._ " 

Mark takes his palm and holds the majority of Donghyuck's bangs back, cocking a smile as he looks at him. 

"You're just saying that cause you have a crush on me."

"I think that is true."

Pulling away from another kiss, Donghyuck swallows hard. 

"There's also a possibility that I may die from this procedure, but you may live, and then you'll live without me," Donghyuck reminds him. "If that's the case..." 

Donghyuck doesn't really know where he wanted to go with it, he just knows that he wanted to bring it up, and that it needed to be brought up, because it's true. 

Him lying on the table, a sharp needle digging right into his chest, reaching for what little amount of blood is left in his heart... it's dangerous... it can kill him. There's so many things that can go wrong, and Donghyuck doesn't even want to think about there being some sort of malfunction, especially since Mark hasn't even agreed to letting Donghyuck do it. 

"It won't be the case," Mark rubs his nose against him. 

God, Donghyuck fucking loves when he does that. 

It's so warm, so genuine, and it makes him feel so goddamn special.

"I am not going to let you die on me," Mark tells him. "Because you're not allowed to. That's not in the contract."

"Neither was falling in love, Minhyung." Donghyuck rubs his thumb under Mark's chin. 

Mark kisses him. 

"We can add that in. That's allowed."

-

1 day and 7 hours. 

"You're ridiculous," Jaemin nuzzles his nose into Donghyuck's neck the night before the procedure (correction: just hours before.)

Donghyuck has been told not to eat or drink anything, which is very hard for him since his diet consists mainly of blood right off the vein. He's lucky he has Jaemin though, right against his back, hand in his as he breathes deeply to calm down any sort of craving that he has. 

Of course he wants Mark. He wants to kiss at Mark's neck, wants to feel his body relaxing under Mark's touch, under the addicting cinnamon smell, the sweet and loving feeling that he gives off when he holds Donghyuck tight, kissing at his ear and whispering the softest words that make Donghyuck feel more than safe. 

But, Mark needs his sleep. 

He needs all the sleep and all the space he can get before the procedure in the morning. 

Donghyuck, of course, had thrown a fit in front of Jeno, who just cackled until he almost turned red, which seemed impossible from what everyone thought — because the poor vampire just wanted to cuddle Mark all night, kiss kind words onto his wrists and his cheeks until Mark had fallen asleep. 

"You'll see him in the morning, Hyuck," Jaemin rubs over his friend's hair. "And everything will go fine. But, you are ridiculous for doing this, becaue if I fucking lose you..." 

Donghyuck's fingertips graze against Jaemin's bare chest, the warmth of it so addicting, so soft and silky. He leans forward to kiss it, moving his lips down so he can kiss right over Jaemin's heart. 

The boy hums and runs his fingers through Donghyuck's hair, like he's satisfied over the touch. 

"You aren't going to lose me, Jaemin," Donghyuck tells him as he turns his ear, just deciding to listen to the thrumming in the boy's chest. "But, if you do, you can tell Renjun I hope he fucks himself." 

Jaemin slaps Donghyuck on the back. 

"Stop," he mutters as his stomach moves up and down from the laughter. "Renjun's my friend now. Nothing else. We just... we tried again and didn't work out. I'm still hurting but I'll be fine."

Donghyuck kisses Jaemin's heart again, even draws the shape of a heart over his skin. 

"You mean the world to me, Jaemin," he whispers. "I will fight to stay alive so I can come home to you, I swear, because I need to cook you meals, and clean up after you, and bring you juice when you ask for it."

They cry themselves to sleep. 

-

_10 hours_

Donghyuck decides that he doesn't like anyone else touching Mark like he does. 

He doesn't really care how it seems, but he keeps sitting up in his chair anytime someone lays their hand on Mark's shoulder, esepcially because he doesn't know what their intentions are, or who the fuck they even are, or what they're saying to him. 

Donghyuck hopes that a glare will scare them off. 

He's wrong.

"Hey," Jeno lays his hand on Donghyuck's thigh. "He's fine, they're just going over a few things with him."

Donghyuck breathes out as he closes his eyes.

"Are you scared?" Jeno asks him. 

Donghyuck shakes his head. 

"I am just worried about him," Donghyuck swallows. "I want everything to go well." 

"It will, Donghyuck. Have hope." 

Mark makes his way over as soon as he's done talking to the few people near him. Jaehyun waits patiently on the other side of the room as well, but Mark only heads to Donghyuck, a sappy smile on his face as he collapses so slowly into his arms. 

They take a moment to hold each other as Donghyuck focuses on the feeling of Mark's heart, beating, the rhythm so familiar yet so scary to him, knowing that it may be the last time he hears it. 

Jeno excuses himself as he moves to sit by Jaehyun. 

"Sharp teeth," Mark starts, his voice cracking. "Meet me back here after, do you hear me?" 

Donghyuck looks deep into Mark's eyes, every moment flashing over him slowly, as if it's the only thing that matters to him — because it really is. 

"I'll be here."

\- 

Donghyuck doesn't wake up from the procedure. 

Not after the first few hours, not after the first few days, not until an entire week has passed over them, so dangerously slow that it feels like silence. 

He wakes up with a pain so sharp in his ears, making them feel as though they are about to blow, the tingling amplified to the point where his entire body is numb. He's dizzy, never has been so dizzy in his entire life as he tries to blink himself awake, coming to see that he's in a dark room. 

Once again, Donghyuck is so fucking thankful for whoever the fuck is remembering that he is a goddamn vampire, and not a human who is okay with bright lights. 

The thirst hits him next, making his mouth part open as his hands come out to reach whatever is closest to him. He is weak, but he smells too many things, he wants something, wants to sink his teeth into one of the many voices that he hears speaking around him. 

_Everyone is annoying,_ he thinks. 

He can shut them all up by drinking from them. 

Someone places a blood bag at his mouth and Donghyuck flexes his back, sinking his teeth into it as he downs it in a moment, reaching for another that is placed in his palms. 

The voices are speaking to him as he gets a few more handed to him, and Donghyuck really isn't sure how many he downs before he passes back out. 

\- 

"—Jaemin, don't!" Donghyuck can make out Jeno's voice as he opens his eyes this time, head cocking to the side when he sees his best friend standing by the door of his bedroom. 

Donghyuck realizes he's in his own bed. 

"It's fine, Jeno," he grumbles. "He's awake." 

Donghyuck blinks, still unable to say a word as his best friend steps forward and sits on the end of his bed, running his hand over his ankles. 

"Welcome back, sucker." 

Donghyuck is still shocked to see Jaemin sitting on the end of his bed like this, smiling so big, with Jeno trickling in right behind him. The sight is beautiful, knowing that he had gotten through the procedure, but Donghyuck's eyes widen when he thinks about Mark.

"Mark's asleep," Jaemin rushes out, eyes softening when Donghyuck's head rolls back in relief. "He just fell asleep. You, however, woke up last night after a week of being out. I think you came out of your coma, is what the doctors said. They said you were fine after the procedure, said it was sorta like a deep sleep? But, you woke up last night, and needed to feed, and then must've just fallen asleep for the night." 

Donghyuck processes the words and nods his head, wanting to cry at the thought of Mark being alive and well, and in the other room, sleeping. 

"Jeno made us stay away from you when you woke up, Chenle too, he's in the kitchen making food right now," Jaemin says. "They weren't sure how you'd react when you woke up, you know, being a vampire and all, but I told them, I know Lee Donghyuck, and this guy—"

Donghyuck opens his arms weakly and croaks out a laugh, waiting for Jaemin to crawl right into them. 

He does, so slowly that it almost makes Donghyuck eager.

But, as soon as Jaemin is in his arms again, he feels whole. 

Donghyuck is still weak as he climbs out of bed and cleans himself up, making his way into the living room to greet the others who have been waiting patiently for his awakening. 

It's a relief for Donghyuck to see Mark sprawled out on the couch, the television on while Chenle is cooking in the kitchen, Jisung helping him with some sort of perfect smelling dessert. Jisung bounces on his toes as he tries to stay quiet, holding his arms up in the air as he waits to get his hug from Donghyuck. 

It's warm. Hugging Jisung is warm. 

Chenle joins them in a minute as he cocks his head toward Mark, everyone whispering in hushed tones as they move around the apartment. 

Jeno and Jaemin are at the kitchen table playing cards, making a little too much noise, so Donghyuck throws his middle finger up in the air toward them. 

With an idea in the back of his mind, Donghyuck grabs a spoon, dipping it into the cake batter to taste it for himself, rolling his eyes into the back of his head as he hums, giving Jisung a thumbs up as he dips it back in, receiving a smack on his shoulder as he makes his way to the couch. 

He crouches down, poking Mark in the forehead once. 

The boy furrows his eyebrows and scrunches up his nose, his eyes staying closed. 

Donghyuck shakes his head as he takes a moment to stare at how beautiful Mark's brunette hair is dangling over his eyes, his eyebrows only half visible. With a bit of force, Donghyuck pushes the spoon toward his lips, receiving a little bit of a groan as Mark stirs awake, his feet kicking. 

"C'mon, try it," Donghyuck says as he uses his free hand to rub over Mark's shoulder. "It's good, tastes good, I promise." 

Mark's eyes flutter open to the familiar voice as he scoots himself back, trying to make sure he's seeing correctly. 

Mark frowns as he grabs onto the spoon, sucking off the cake batter.

"You're late," Mark pouts. 

_God, he is so beautiful._

"For what?" 

"You said you would meet me right after the procedure."

Donghyuck swoons. He leans forward and pulls Mark in for a hug, letting the boy tighten his arms around his neck. 

"Different place," Donghyuck whispers. "But, I'm here, Minhyung. I'm here." 

Mark pulls away from the hug and pinches Donghyuck's cheeks as he begins to cry, showing the vampire his arm.

"It worked," he whispers.

Donghyuck grins, seeing all of the numbers reading zeros, seeing that Mark is breathing, Mark is holding onto him and kissing at his cheek. 

Everything seems fucking perfect.

"Now I have got all the time in the world to be yours," Mark says. 

"Oh holy shit," Jisung speaks up. "Donghyuck, if you don't ask him to be your boyfriend right now, I am going to do it for you."

Donghyuck flips him off, cupping Mark's cheeks. 

"Grab on," Donghyuck whispers in his ear.

"Why?" Mark whispers back, obeying and tightening his arms around Donghyuck's neck. 

Donghyuck stands up, and Mark wraps his body around the vampire, tucking himself away in the crevasse of his neck. 

"We will be in my bedroom if you need us," Donghyuck announces, hearing a bunch of annoying groans from everyone. 

Mark giggles as he kisses underneath Donghyuck's ear.

"Wait," Mark stares at his hand. "What do I do with the spoon, Hyuck?" 

"Just throw it at them."

"What?! No." 

"C'mon, you're good at throwing rocks, you love it, do it," Donghyuck is giggling, and Mark is red, his eyes bouncing from everyone in the room as they chuckle along. 

Mark slaps his back and even bites the side of Donghyuck's neck as they make it to his bedroom door, everyone else annoyingly shouting at them. 

"Throw it," Donghyuck whispers.

Mark chucks the spoon toward the living room. 

Donghyuck laughs so hard.

_He doesn't think he's ever felt so in love._

**Author's Note:**

> hope u enjoyed their story! 
> 
> come find me on twt: hyuckios


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